Mission Implausible
by girlstarfish
Summary: (sci-fi/au-ish/yaoi) Duo is gone. The scientists have a plan to replace him, and now Heero's stuck babysitting. And what happened to the plot? (inspired by one too many sickly sweet chibi fics--not nice).
1. Default Chapter

****

Mission: Implausible.

It was a situation Heero was not comfortable with. 

He did not, like Quatre hesitantly admitted, find J unnerving, strange as the man was. It had been over a year since he had made personal contact with his scientist, although there had been a constant, if sporadic, stream of communication on the form of mission data. Meeting J in person was just too risky. 

But to be meeting not one, but two of the scientists for reasons as yet undisclosed--the thought that this was a trap had occurred to him.

Heero studied G thoughtfully. The man was not by any means quiet, keeping up a stream of sly comments that punctuated J's remarks, and seemed to possess meanings unknown to him. Heero did not like him, not in the slightest. 

He was disappointed. Idly, ignoring the scientists' chit-chat, Heero tried to pinpoint why. After all, he'd never met G before, all he knew about him had been the occasional off-hand comment from Duo--

Duo.

There was no similarity between professor and student. Where G was repulsive and calculating, Duo was kind and welcoming. Duo's ways, his attitudes, his smiles, all these were absent from G--and that was what disappointed him, realised Wing's pilot. He'd been hoping to see something of Duo--something to remember him by--

Heero shut his eyes. 

It was still too hard to believe, hurt too much. He refused to give up hope though, making up two beds in every safe house they went to, awaiting the return of Deathscythe's pilot. The others had made no comment, although one of them had added an MIA to Duo's file. He didn't want to know who had done that--

Not when there was still the chance he was alive.

If only they'd been able to decode that message--

"I think you'll agree Heero, the situation is serious," J stated flatly.

Heero blinked, quickly running over the last few minutes of the conversation--OZ's growing power in the wake of Duo's disappearance, the pilots' inability to decipher the encrypted disk that had been Duo's last message, and most worrying, the knowledge that it had not been OZ that had taken Duo out. 

"Yes," he said, not batting an eye-lid. 

"G believes that our priority at the moment should be finding his protégé--"

"Without Deathscythe the Gundams are understaffed. It would take too long to train another pilot, we need Duo back."

"And if he is dead?"

Heero clenched his fists, ready to swing at his trainer. 

G glared at J angrily. "I did not raise Duo to curl up and die at the first sign of trouble. You saw the code he used--your own pupil can't break it! He must have had time to work that out, he obviously had a plan in mind. If we could break the code--"

"I will break it," Heero said. "I just need time." Given time he could break any code, Duo's was no different, despite the way it was wired--a series of security walls surrounded the information, and had so far proven impervious. 

"Time we don't have," J remarked. "OZ isn't going to take a hiatus while we work this out."

"Which makes my suggestion the best we've got," G said. 

"You call that a suggestion? It's more like a fantasy! It's got more holes in it than Swiss Cheese!"

"It's worth a try," G said, standing. "Well, time to get on with this, I think."

Heero followed the two scientists (who squabbled the rest of the way) into a lab that looked vaguely familiar. "This is the Wepeca Institute, isn't it?" 

"Very good, Heero," J said. "See G, he remembered."

G muttered something that sounded like 'Big whoop' and Heero wondered if he wasn't more similar to Duo than he first appeared. 

"Wepeca was on the brink of a breakthrough in the field of astral-physics and were on the verge of accomplishing what had, up to that point, been considered merely theoretical knowledge. Unfortunately, although not allied with OZ, they were successful enough to attract their attention with the unfortunate result that the entire compound was virtually taken prisoner. You know the rest."

"Mission," Heero recited. "Destroy base, wiping out all trace of experiments."

"I understand Duo took the part of destroying the information while you destroyed their security settings and blew up the main labs," G said, adjusting the settings on what looked like a heart monitor of some sort. "He didn't happen to mention what he found, did he?"

"Hn," Heero said.

Actually Duo had been trying very excitedly to tell him something about the data in the computer--"You won't believe this, Hee-chan! It's like a science fiction movie!"--but he'd been too concerned with completing the mission. He'd said Duo could tell him after they got out of the base--but they'd had other missions. 

And now Duo was gone.

"It's fascinating! Absolutely incredible! And it works! I'd never believed that this could be possible, although well familiar with the theory of course--"

"G, just do it."

"Of course. Do you have the papers?" 

J held up a bunch of forms. 

"Brilliant. Then here we go!"

G pushed a couple of buttons and stood back. 

Nothing happened.

Heero frowned, wondering if he should point this out to the doctors when suddenly the floor bucked violently and the whole room seemed to spin, coming just as violently to a halt.

"Hold tight, Heero!" J said, just as it ended.

Now he tells me, Heero thought gloomily, unplastering himself from the wall he'd been thrown against.

"We need to put these on," G handed them both clear plastic tags, labelled 'Visitor: Approved'. 

"Where are we going?" Heero asked, hesitantly fixing the tag to the front of his suit as he saw J doing.

"The L2 cluster," J said with a smirk. "LA-8347 to be exact."

"But--" Heero frowned. His laptop with his mission information was back at Quatre's still--he needed it if he was to be working on Duo's code--"My stuff--"

"We'll be back before you know it," G said absently, one eye to the door. "All clear." He stepped out of the room quickly, followed by J and Heero.

Heero stared.

They were outside, standing on the roadside of a very dirty road. There were a couple of beaten up cars parked by them, rubbish and dust everywhere and a very, very hot sun beating down on them. There was only one door out of the room, but this was not the way they came in. 

"Hn," said Heero.

"I'll have to admit," G said to J, "Yours does have remarkable self control. Duo would be going out of his mind at this point."

"Well, your pupil could be excused for his lack of discipline," J shot back. "After all, you never had any self control."

"I resent that remark! It is most unsolicited," G snapped.

"Do I have to remind you of your flawless rendition of the 'I'm a Lumberjack' song at the last 'Mad Scientists Annual Get Together and Social Event?"

Heero blinked. He was sure he had not heard that. 

"Anyway, Heero, we must get going. Appointment, you know," J said, and they started walking. 

If they weren't going to tell him, then he wasn't going to ask. Although it was childish, Heero felt better upon making that resolution and instead studied the road they were walking down. It was definitely situated in a lower economic area--probably as low as you could go. The houses were built out of board and loose aluminium, the people sitting outside or cooking in cans over small fires were dirty, giving them hostile, suspicious glances as they passed.

J and G ignored the people they passed, stopping only once.

"Heero, I know what this looks like--but don't attack. We are outnumbered in unfamiliar territory--don't draw attention to us."

Heero pondered the strange request before noticing the patrol of OZ soldiers in ornate uniform walking down the street. People got out of their way, quickly. The scientists pulled Heero over to the side of the road with them but did not do more than that. Heero grew more concerned as the patrol neared. The scientist and he had their pictures plastered through every OZ base on earth and in space--

"Relax Heero. We've got all the clearance we need," J said nodding to the leader of the patrol as he passed. 

The man gave their badges a cursory glance and passed on, the rest of the patrol following him.

"What just happened?" Heero asked.

"You've probably noticed that things are not . . . normal," J said as they resumed their journey. "There is an explanation."

"Yes?"

"It's quite simple really. You've heard of parallel universes?" G said. "Welcome to one."

"You're kidding," Heero said flatly.

"No. Wepeca had just come up with this when OZ found them," J said. "Of course it is highly unstable so we won't be staying longer than necessary to obtain our objective."

"Our objective?" Heero asked. He was taking this well, mainly because he'd decided fulfilling the mission, whatever it was, came first. There would be time later to worry over whether this was actually happening.

"The retrieval of a weapon essential to winning the war against OZ," G said. "Almost there."

"By the way," J said, "In this universe, the war broke out ten years earlier than in our world. OZ won and keeps the colonies under authoritarian rule."

Heero looked at his master startled. "If OZ won, why are we even here? There's no point if they'll just defeat us--"

"They've won here, where there were no Gundam pilots to resist them," J snapped. "If anything this just makes the success of this mission all the more crucial."

"We're here," G said. "Oh, Heero? I'm a wealthy if eccentric businessman, J's my partner and you're his heir, okay?"

Heero blinked. "Okay."

"That's the spirit." G rang a doorbell and they waited.

After a few minutes the door was opened a crack, and a grubby but suspicious face peered up at them. "What?"

J bent down to the child's level. "We're here to visit Father Maxwell. Is he around?"

Heero had to give the child credit--face to face with J and it (gender was so far undetermined) didn't even flinch. "Maybe."

"Would you go and fetch him for us?" 

The child shrugged and shut the door in their faces. 

"Charming," J replied. "What do we do now?"

"We wait."

After a good fifteen minutes the door was opened again by a slightly flustered and out of breath clergyman. "Come in, come in, I'm sorry about the delay. The children only just told me you were waiting--I hope you haven't been here long--"

"Not at all," J said. 

"We'd like to get down to business," G said. "We don't have long here, you see."

"Oh, of course. I'm Father Maxwell, pleasure to be of service. What business is this exactly? I understood the next rent payment wasn't for another week--"

"We're here to adopt one of your charges," G said. "Or rather, I am. Like my colleague I am childless, and I want my estate and enormous wealth to go to someone when I die. With that in mind, I'd like to adopt an heir."

"Well, I'm only too happy to introduce you to the children. They're at playtime at the moment, so I'll look at your papers, and then see if we can't narrow down what you're looking for. My office is this way."

They passed several more grubby children on the way to the office. The orphanage was obviously straining its resources--and there were far more kids than staff. The kids themselves though--they laughed and ran around with all the appearance of enjoying themselves, despite the fact that their clothes were worn, and they were little more than skin and bones. Heero was surprised by this.

Father Maxwell's office was inhabited by a sticky toddler, who attached itself to the clergyman's robes and refused to relinquish them upon sight of the strangers. It remained fastened to him, a wary eye on Heero and the scientists as the priest read through the adoption papers.

"Well everything appears to be all right," Father Maxwell said. Now, do you have any idea of what age or gender child you want to adopt?"

"Boy," G said. "I'm not too particular on age, but he's got to be adaptable, intelligent and show initiative."

"I'm sure you'll find many of our wards here meet that description." A bell went and Father Maxwell smiled. "That's the afternoon tea bell. We'll join them in the dining hall."

The dining hall was remarkably silent. Heero was surprised at that until he noticed why--the kids were all intent on eating their food before it got stolen by one of the others.

"Wander round and talk to the kids," Father Maxwell said vaguely, trying to pull the sticky toddler off his robes. "They're all quite used to strangers."

"Thank-you." G set off round the dining hall, J and Heero following him. The kids gave them speculative glances or ignored them. Heero wondered what G was looking for exactly--and then his gaze slid over a nearby table--

--and a long chestnut braid hanging down the back of one of the table's occupants--

"Ah-hah!" G crowed triumphantly. "Found him."

He went and sat down at the table. The children eyed him suspiciously at first but the production of a bag of candy seemed to magically produce amiability. 

Heero hung back. 

This did not fit any mission parameters he had ever known and he felt more than a little uncomfortable. For one thing he was very much out of his element. Generally Heero avoided little children. For one thing they were inclined to do incomprehensible things (as far as Heero knew he had never been one). And they dribbled, were noisy, had no concept of rational behaviour--

He glared suspiciously as a group of children at the table next to him broke out into giggles. In short, they inhabited a world he knew nothing about.

Secondly—well, J's training had failed to cover what to do when you are brought to a parallel universe in order to replace one of your colleagues, with whom you, incidentally, are somewhat emotionally involved, with his nine year old self. 

J prodded him. "Try to appear more interested. We don't want to look suspicious." 

Heero took a deep breath and nodded. He followed J over to where the scientist was chatting with the children.

"No, I didn't tell a lot of lies when I was little. My nose just happens to look this way," G was explaining.

The kids eyed him sceptically. "But that's not really your hair, is it?"

"What happened? Did your hairdresser go insane or something?"

"It's a wig, right?"

One of the kids snickered. "Send whoever does your hair over here. Duo really needs a trim. Get rid of that stupid plait--snip, snip."

"You're the one who needs a trim," the nine-year old replied, unperturbed. "From your neck up."

The other kids snickered, and the boy who'd insulted Duo's plait went red. 

"Oh yeah?" he said. "Well see how you feel about your plait now."

He lunged forward to tug on Duo's plait but Duo, obviously expecting this, ducked out of the way. The two of them tried to shove the other off the seat, while the other kids returned to pestering the scientists with questions. 

"Do you have to use hair spray to get it to do that?"

"What do you do when you want to wear a hat?"

"What happened to your eyes?"

Heero's unease grew as the scientists continued to field questions. There was a little girl who would keep looking at him, even though he had glared at her quite strongly. Moreover, the kid sitting beside him had a disturbing habit of spraying whenever he laughed. Heero did not have a lot of knowledge on the subject, but he was sure little children were a cesspool of festering diseases and viruses waiting for the right moment to pounce. They were always getting illnesses--chicken pox and measles and mumps and things like that. Heero wondered if the orphanage stocked gas masks.

"You're not looking for a kid of your own," the other-Duo said, attracting Heero's attention. "Are you?"

"You're very perceptive," G said.

Duo glowed. "You're very old."

J coughed. "As it happens, my colleague here is thinking of picking one of the children here as his heir."

"Don't you have any?" one of the littler kids at the table piped up to general ridicule. "How do you hear?"

"Not that kind of ear, silly," Duo said. "Heir. It's the person you pick who gets your stuff once you die."

"You better pick someone fast," the orphan who had picked the fight with Duo remarked. "Ya don't look like you got much time left."

G chose to ignore that. "You seem a bright spark. What's your name, lad?"

"Duo."

"It's nice to meet you, Duo."

The bell rang then and the kids were shooed off to various pastimes by a blonde haired lady. She came over to the scientists and Heero.

"Hello there. I'm Sister Helen. Father Maxwell tells me you're thinking of adopting one of our children?"

"That's right," G said. "I've just been having a most interesting discussion with several of your charges."

"Oh dear. I hope they weren't too impolite. You mustn't mind them, they all have perfectly good manners, they just don't use them."

"I'm a great believer in letting children be children," G said. "I found them all perfectly charming. In fact, I can see it will be hard to pick just one child!"

"Oh yes, it's a very hard choice," Sister Helen sat down. "Most prospective parents find that once they've made a few visits and talked to a lot of the children, they find there is one that just seems to fit--"

"As a matter of fact," G said, so much as if he was having to think of it that Heero was impressed--he'd never realised the scientists were capable of acting--"There was one child that seemed to stand out."

"Oh, yes?" Sister Helen said interestedly. "If you can tell me who I can arrange a further meeting with the child right now."

"His name, I believe, was Duo."

There was silence. 

Heero was surprised enough to look up into Sister Helen's face. He couldn't quite read the emotion there, but he thought he saw dismay, before all was gone, and Sister Helen said in a determined tone, "Not Duo. I'm afraid that's quite impossible!"

"Oh, and why is that?" G asked.

"Duo has been adopted on several occasions, and each time he has been sent back to the orphanage. He grew up on the streets, you see, and is something of a handful." There was something else behind her words. Heero knew very well what it was--fear.

"That wouldn't worry me!" G waved a hand. "I have very capable staff who I'm sure would provide adequate care for a young boy."

"Duo is a very social child who requires a lot of attention. He is not the sort of child one can confidently leave to his own devices," Helen warned. 

"I'm planning on hiring a nanny-governess to act as a companion for him while I am at work. There's also Heero here, who will provide another source of company."

Helen gave Heero a rather doubtful look. "I'm not sure if that's enough. He needs the companionship of his peers--"

"There's something else though, isn't there?" Heero said. "What aren't you telling us?"

Helen stared at them, then abruptly nodded. "An adoption suit was filed on Duo's behalf last week. It's still being processed but we have every reason to believe it will be successful."

"Suits can be cancelled," G said.

Helen frowned at him. "I see no reason why this one should be."

"And why not? The resources I have at my disposal are quite considerable--I find it hard to believe anyone could match the chances I offer Duo."

"There is no denying that you offer great prospects for Duo materially," the nun acknowledged coolly. "But I believe there is no-one less capable of providing for his happiness. Duo needs the attention and love of his future parents--and I have seen nothing that convinces me that you would be able to provide for that."

"And why are you so sure that these other potential parents can?" J asked. "You know no more about them than we do."

"As a matter of fact," Helen snapped. "The people adopting Duo are none other than Father Maxwell and myself. I'm sorry, but you will just have to choose another child." She stood. "I must go to the kitchens now, gentlemen, but I'm sure Father Maxwell will be only too happy to introduce you to some suitable candidates." She stalked out of the room without another word.

"Well," G said. 

"That was a waste of time," J said. "I told you we should have done it my way from the start."

"All is not lost. Let's find Duo again." G led the way down the corridor. Duo was found involved in what was ostensibly a choir practice, but that seemed to involve an awful lot of pushing and teasing.

G walked over to the harassed looking piano player. "Might I borrow Duo a moment?" he asked. "Sister Helen has given us permission to talk to him."

The pianist did not notice the blatant lie. "Duo, accompany the gentlemen, please."

The other-Duo joined them. "What do you want?" he asked warily.

"Just to get to know you a bit," G said. "Come along, Duo, we thought we'd take you into town to buy ice-creams as a treat."

"Ice-creams? As in more than one?" Duo was enchanted.

Heero snorted softly. Among the many confused and sad feelings in his stomach was growing one of resentment--this was not **his** Duo.

"If you think you can eat more than one," G said, taking the child's hand.

Duo was happy enough to be led towards the orphanage gate. The subject of ice-cream was enough to occupy him--until one of the little girls saw him going and kicked up a wail.

"Duo! You can't get adopted--you said you'd help me with my homework."

"That's Elsie," Duo said. "I'll just go and tell her I'll be back."

"No time," G said, hurrying him onwards. 

Duo stumbled as he was all but dragged forward. His feet stabbed ineffectively for a hold in the dirt as he realised something was wrong. "Let me go!"

G had to stop as Duo tried to wrestle free. "None of that!" He seized the child's wrist even tighter.

"No! I don't want to go with you!" Duo fought the best he could. Managing to break G's hold on his wrist--only to be grasped even tighter by J.

The little girl screamed and ran towards the main building. "Sister Helen! Father Maxwell! The scary old men are hurting Duo!"

J cursed. "So much for doing it your way. Well? What are you waiting for?"

"Can't you hold him still?" G demanded peevishly. "This is hard to administer as it is--" Heero saw with a start there was a syringe in his hand.

The other-Duo saw it too and kicked harder. It was to no avail. He cried out in pain as G gave him the injection.

"Let's go," J said hurriedly.

Their return through the streets was done in haste. The child had ceased struggling, Heero, walking behind J could not determine more of his condition until the reached the room and began their preparations to leave.

"Hold him," J said, passing his load to Heero, and joining G at the controls. "What are our return co-ordinates?"

"If I've told you once--" the scientists started squabbling again.

Heero glanced down at the still form he held. He had grave doubts about this. The child was docile now, thanks to whatever drug he'd been given--but he had not been so at the orphanage. This stillness was not his usual behaviour--and it gave Heero the opportunity to make some observations.

He was surprised how light his burden was. And how fragile--he was sure he could break one of those flimsy wrists without trying. And yet--he remembered Duo's strength and capability--this wasn't right.

Heero almost lost his fragile load as the room abruptly shifted around him. He was just prepared enough to wedge himself against the wall until the room settled down again. 

"Well Heero, this is the town near your current safe house. We suggest you get a motel room and wait for the child to sleep of the effects of the drug--a couple of hours--before taking him back. You might want to pick up some clothes for him on the way--The L2 cluster generally has mild temperatures, he won't be used to the cold."

Heero looked at them in alarm. "You're not leaving him with me?"

"Of course! You need him--you should be able to use him to crack Duo's code. Now we have to run--we're on our way to the Mad Scientists Annual General Meeting and if we're late they might elect O in charge of the social events--"

"That would be a tragedy. I'll expect a full mission report later, Heero."

"But--" The perfect soldier found himself shoved from the room and had the door shut in his face. When he tried to re-enter the room he found it locked--and by the time he broke the lock and opened the door again he found himself looking into an abandoned lab--G and J were gone.


	2. Two

****

Mission Implausible: part 2.

Heero ended up taking the scientists' advice. He glared at the cracked paint of the cheap motel room, reflecting on how unproductive this was. OZ could be up to any number of nefarious schemes, and here he was stuck babysitting--

He turned from staring the peeling walls into surrender to eye the prone figure on the bed. Without knowing what drug the scientists had used or the amount, he had no way of knowing when he could expect the child to wake so they could move out. He was already past his projected mission schedule--

Heero blinked.

Something had changed, something--

He smirked. The child was awake. The slight change in the depth of his breathing indicated the child was no longer unconscious, but alert, probably trying to work out the situation. 

This Heero approved of.

"We're in a hotel room," he said. "On earth. Russia to be exact."

There was a short intake of breath.

"I'm aware you're awake, you know."

Other-Duo sat up. "You're lying," he said. "Earth's a half day's flight from L2 an' Russia's even further away than that."

"Don't believe me?" Heero shrugged. "Look out the window and tell me what you see."

Giving him a wary look the child slid off the bed and walked over to the curtained window. A glance at the street and the vehicles passing by outside was enough to tell him they were no longer on L2--or indeed, on a colony.

Heero's observational senses were such that he did not miss the slight sob the child made. "We must leave. It is still a long way to the safe house, and the scientists suggested I get you clothes on the way." He turned towards the door.

"I don't want clothes."

"What?"

"I said, I don't want clothes." The child glared up at Heero, hand tightly clenched around the windowsill.

It took Heero a few seconds to realise the kid was defying him. "You don't have a choice. Now come."

The kid tightened his grip on the windowsill. "I want to go home! Take me back to Father Maxwell, now!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible," Heero said. "You said it yourself, it would take a very long time to take you back to L2"--not to mention that he had no idea how to return to the child's universe--"so I'm afraid you're stuck with me. Now come."

"No," the kid said. "You kidnapped me--I hate you! Hate you!"

Heero, without quite knowing why, found he'd taken a step back. He frowned. To back down in front of the child would lose him face--

"How you feel about this does not matter in the slightest." Heero tugged the child away from the window firmly. "Now come."

The child protested all the way out of hotel and most of the way down the street too, at least until Heero pulled him into an alley to give him a little talk on the desirability of silence.

He regretted having to threaten the child but it was necessary. And at least it produced the desired results. The child, white-faced and silent allowed Heero to pull him through the streets.

Heero, although he'd achieved his desired objective, was uneasy. Duo would not be so easily cowed--he never took Heero's threats seriously. Then again, Duo was Heero's equal in strength and skill, his mind told him. Duo wasn't a nine-year-old suddenly separated from all he knew, and thrust into the company of a hardened soldier--

All the same, Heero was uneasy.

The shop assistant in the children's-wear section of the nearest department store gushed as she caught sight of Heero and his charge. 

"How adorable--is this your younger sister, sir?"

"He's a boy," Heero growled at the same moment as the other-Duo broke his silence to protest, "I'm not a girl!"

They met each other's eyes, startled. Heero saw that the child had forgotten his wariness briefly--for a moment he had seen beyond the unwelcome mission. The child was Duo--

The assistant tittered uncomfortably. "My mistake. Boys' clothes are this way."

The moment was gone. Heero took the other-Duo's hand and pulled him after the assistant. The child went willingly enough, the novelty of the store enough to make him forget for a while his predicament.

"That's a hell of a lot of clothes . . . whoever owns this store must be loaded." Child Duo looked around the shelves in awe. 

The shop assistant laughed. "Well, we do turn a pretty neat profit--What are you looking for?"

"Winter clothes," Heero said. "He doesn't have any."

Duo helped the shop assistant chose clothes off the racks. "But don't you ever get robbed? Aren't you afraid to have so many clothes out?" he persisted.

"We have a very good security system in place," the assistant explained. "See this tag on this shirt? If it's taken out of the store an alarm will go off."

"That's pretty cool. Do I get to try all of these on?"

"Well, that depends on your brother."

Heero did not correct her. "We'll take them all."

"You should at least try them on, sir. The fitting rooms are this way. If you'll just follow me--"

Duo skipped after her--he'd evidently decided that Heero couldn't threaten him while other people around, pestering her with more questions about the store. Heero settled back to wait. 

The store's security cameras heightened the acute unease that troubled him. He knew it was just paranoia but still--he could not wait to reach the safe house.

"All done!" The assistant returned with Duo again attired in his orphanage uniform. "The trackpants are a little large, sir, but he will grow into them in no time."

Heero nodded and drew out his card for J's funds account. Well, this was the scientist's fault.

"Can I get my jacket out?" the child asked. "It's cold."

Heero nodded, distracted by the business of paying for the clothes. 

When he'd finished he noticed the kid was happily absorbed in admiring his new purchase--probably the first new thing he'd owned in his life. Heero frowned and picked up the bag. "Come on--let's go."

Duo followed obediently.

Heero was worried now. He knew something was wrong--

He stepped through the door only to be greeted by blaring alarms. Two security guards strolled over to him. 

"Excuse me sir, may we check your bags?"

Heero saw Duo slip by him. He made a move to grab the kid to be halted by the second of the guards.

"Sorry sir, but you can't go anywhere till we've sorted this out."

Heero ground his teeth.

The kid Duo waved to him from outside the shop. 'Thanks for the jacket, lame-brain,' he mouthed before turning to vanish into the busy crowd.

Heero growled. He had known this was a bad idea.

**************************************

It was four hours later before they reached the safe house. The kid, once Heero had managed to find and catch him--he was installing a tracking device on the brat at the earliest opportunity--had fought, bit, and scratched wildly. Heero had managed to scare him into submission without too much difficulty--the child was unnerved enough at the fact that Heero had been able to track him down. The real difficulties lay in the fact that in order to catch up with the kid before he got too much of a head start, Heero had had to blow his cover. Police patrols had been scouring the city for a dangerous youth of about fifteen or so, with messy brown hair, medium height, etc. More than once Heero and the child (gagged--Heero did not trust him not to alert the police to their whereabouts) had been forced to take cover to avoid notice. For that reason too, they had avoided public transport. 

While Heero could take the walk to the safe house without difficulty, the child obviously wasn't used to such conditions and tired fast. 

What slight concern Heero felt for the child was overlaid by a greater annoyance at the difficulties his actions had caused, and the fact that once the child had got tired, he had ceased complaining.

"Finally!" Heero pushed the door to the safe house open to be greeted by Wufei. From the sounds of things, Shenlong's pilot had been waiting a long time. "Where were you, Yuy? And whatever possessed you to take such a risky action? Pulling a gun on a shop-assistant--there are pictures of you all over the news!"

"Nice to see you too, Wufei." Heero pulled off his coat.

"We were worried," Trowa said, joining the Asian pilots in the hallway. "Doing something so reckless is not like you."

Heero snorted. "You can thank him for that," he said, pushing the child forward. "The entire business was his fault."

Wufei and Trowa stared.

"What the hell?"

The child stared back. 

Heero eyed him suspiciously--he looked as he might bolt under the scrutiny. 

"I don't believe it," Wufei knelt, pushing the child's wayward fringe away from his eyes. "Is that--it looks like--Duo--"

The kid's head snapped upright. "How do you know my name?"

"It's not your name!" Heero snapped, surprised by the bitterness in his voice.

Eyes wide the kid flattened himself against the wall. Wufei and Trowa transferred their stares to Heero.

"What is going on?"

The kitchen door opened. "Is Heero back?" Quatre asked. "I heard voices and--" he took in the scene before him and blinked. "My."

"Well that's one way of putting it," Heero said grumpily.

"Yuy, what is going on? All we know is that you've got a mission--G and J and something about O and a beach party--extremely unlikely in my opinion--" Wufei got sidetracked. 

"And some sort of explanation would be appreciated," Trowa added recalling him.

"Shush," Quatre told them all. "You're making the poor child nervous."

The poor child? Heero thought indignantly.

Quatre knelt down so he was on an approximately equal level with the child. "Hi there. You look pretty cold. Do you feel like a cup of hot chocolate to warm you up?"

The child shrugged. 

"Come into the kitchen with me and I'll make you one." Quatre took the child's hand and led him into the kitchen. Heero watched him go with relief--finally, he was someone else's problem.

***************************************

Quatre put a heaped spoon of cocoa into a mug--he'd watched Duo make it and knew that he preferred it strong. A glance at the small child resting his head on his arms, and Quatre added a few heaped spoonfuls of sugar as well--poor thing looked as though he needed the energy. 

"You look exhausted," he said, as he added milk and hot water. "Don't worry, we won't keep you up too much longer."

The child said nothing but seemed grateful for the drink. In all likelihood Heero had forgotten to feed him. Quatre frowned. "You look like you've come a long way. Where are you from?"

"L2."

Quatre raised an eyebrow. Wasn't that where Duo--? But the child was asking a question.

"Why am I here?"

"That's a very good question," Quatre said. "Heero didn't tell you?"

"Him? Nah, he just kidnapped me without even asking permission first." The kid felt safe at last to give way to his resentment. "I don't get a choice."

"I'm sure there is a good reason you are here," Quatre said. "Don't worry about it, this will all be sorted out soon. Now, you just rest here. I'll see about getting you a place to sleep and I'll be back soon."

The child nodded. 

Quatre returned to the lounge. He didn't immediately announce his presence, he just leaned back against the door and watched the scene in front of him. 

"He put a tag in your bag?" Trowa was asking.

Heero nodded. "The shop assistant had told us about them, attached to the clothing in the store. Then, while the security guards checked my bags he made a break for it."

"Interesting," Quatre said. "He's in your company for less than an hour and he already wants to run away from you?"

The three pilots blinked. It wasn't like Quatre to be so cold.

"Yuy, what on earth were thinking?" the blond pilot continued, staring at Heero in such a way that Wing's pilot began to feel acutely uncomfortable. "Taking him from his home like that--"

"That was G and J," Heero protested. "I was told to bring him to the safe house, which I did--"

"Managing in the process to terrify him completely," Quatre continued sarcastically. "Well done. Terrifying nine-year-olds--J must be proud to see his training going to such good use."

"It was a mission," Heero protested, not even sure why he was on the defensive. "G thinks we can use him to crack Duo's code."

"Oh does he? Well, listen to this, perfect soldier." If Quatre's tone had been chilly before, it was dripping with ice now. Wufei and Trowa watched in terrified fascination as he continued. "You may have just jeopardised this mission and your partner's survival!" He pointed to the kitchen door. "That child in there is scared stiff! He is in no state of mind to co-operate with us--he may never trust us, Allah knows you've given him no reason to."

Heero opened his mouth to protest then shut it. Quatre was right--

"Don't go anywhere near the child," the Arabian continued. "Don't scare him any more than you already have. Trowa, would you please report back to the scientists and see if you can get a more detailed explanation of what they want the child for and what their eventual plans for him are? I'll be in the kitchen getting the child something to eat--" He glared at Heero. "Apparently he hasn't had a bite to eat all day."

The Japanese soldier had not had anything to eat since that morning either but he somehow felt telling Quatre that would not help.

"Why don't I report back to the scientists?" Wufei suggested. "I need to talk to O about the schematics on my next mission--"

"Trowa will make the report," Quatre said briskly. "You'll be busy shifting your stuff into Heero's room."

"But--"

"No buts. Your room is the best for the child to have. It's close enough to mine and Trowa so that my spaceheart will let me know how he's feeling."

"Heero's room is just as close--and he has a free bed!" Wufei protested.

"And give the child nightmares? If being in the same room as Heero is enough to make him nervous, you think I'm going to force him to spend an entire night with him?"

Heero felt peculiarly superfluous. 

Wufei pondered about suggesting the kid sleep on the couch then saw the look on Quatre's face and decided he wasn't in that much of a hurry to risk his life. "It's late and I have a lot of stuff. Can we do this tomorrow?"

"I guess so," Quatre decided. "I'll just take him in with me tonight."

Trowa's turn to look concerned. "What--in our bed?"

"It's no big deal. I used to babysit my sisters' children. One of my nephews was going through this patch where he couldn't fall asleep unless someone was there with him." 

"But--what about--" The bit of Trowa visible under his fringe went pinkish. "You know--"

"Don't be silly," Quatre said. "It's only one night." He nodded to Trowa and Wufei, glared at Heero and returned to the kitchen. 

He was pleased to see the child had finished the hot drink. 

"I'm going to get you something to eat, then you can get some sleep. You'll be sharing with Trowa and me tonight. Is that okay?"

"I'm not a baby, you know. You don't have to treat me like one."

"I didn't mean to imply you were one," Quatre said. "Anyone spending the night in a strange place would feel a little uncomfortable."

"Well, I don't."

"That's very good," Quatre said. "But as it's late now, Wufei doesn't have time to shift so you're stuck with us anyway."

"Wufei's the Asian guy?" The other Duo considered this. "So Trowa is the one with the weird fringe?"

"His hair is like that naturally," Quatre said shortly, putting the dinner they'd saved for Heero into the microwave. "If you want, we could let you sleep on the floor in the lounge or something."

His space heart picked up the quickening of interest the kid felt at that. 

"After we lock the doors," he added. 

The kid shrugged. "I guess I could sleep with you guys. Just for one night."

"Good. I'm glad you approve."

The microwave beeped. Quatre took the meal out and put it on the table in front of the child. "There you go."

"I want to go back to L2," the child said, not touching the meal. "I don't like it here."

"Until we hear from the scientists, I'm afraid you're staying put," the blond pilot said. "I'm sorry, but with the war the way it is, there's not much we can do."

The kid snorted. "You must think I'm really wet. The War's been over for years. Everyone knows that."

This was interesting. Quatre leaned back against the fridge. "Really?"

"Yeah--that's why there's so many of us kids--" he appeared to take in the plate in front of him for the first time. "Is this all for me?"

"Yes," Quatre said with a smile. "It's all yours."

"You're kidding--what about food rationing? The meat shortage?"

"I'm guessing that things here are rather different from where you're from," Quatre said. 

"I'll say." The other-Duo picked up his fork with relish. Then paused. "The food's spoiled right? That's why you're giving it to me--or have you drugged it?"

Quatre sighed. This was going to be a long night.

*******************************

Heero did not sleep well. In his dreams he walked through a mist shrouded battlefield. Mostly the fog clung around him, surrounding him in walls of grey, but sometimes it parted to reveal the gory contents of the field. It was as if he walked on the edge of nightmare. He was lost, not knowing which way was out, easily loosing his sense of direction in the mist.

"Need any help?"

The familiar voice sent shivers down his spine. Heero turned eagerly around. 

"Duo?"

The mist crowded round him. Heero tried to bat it away, tried to see beyond it--

The reply came from his side. "Who else would be crazy enough to offer help to you, O self-destructive one?"

Heero stretched out his hands blindly in the mist. "Duo--I can't find you--"

"You're not looking hard enough." Duo laughed exactly as Heero remembered it. "Well, perfect soldier, catch me if you can!"

"No! Duo, come back!" Heero took off after the shadowy form, just visible through the cloud. He stumbled as he pursued his partner, but kept on, following the fleeting glimpses of black cloth and chestnut braid he got through the mist. "Duo--please--"

"Please--" Heero stretched out his hand to suddenly find himself clutching nothing. It was night, he could see the moon shining through the gap in his curtains, he could hear the steady murmur of his laptop as it awaited mission specifics. The clock by the side of his bed said 4:38. With a sigh, Heero settled back on his bed, trying to pushback the feelings of terror and panic caused by the dream. Although he eventually dropped into uneasy sleep, he did not dream again that night.

When morning came, it found him sitting at the breakfast table with a bleary eyed Trowa. Wufei emerged from the shower, drying his damp hair with a towel and looking at the two of them curiously. 

"Bad night?"

Heero just grunted. Trowa sighed.

"The kid has nightmares," he said. "Woke us up three times last night. When I complained, Quatre threatened to make me sleep on the couch."

"Children have no place in battle," Wufei said, stirring his tea and laying the teaspoon down beside the cup. "Even less than women."

"I've been fighting ever since I was a child," Heero remembered, vaguely.

"My point exactly," the Chinese youth returned with a hint of a smirk. Anything more would be too much--" And what exactly do the scientists want us to do with our charge? Have you heard, Trowa?"

"They haven't replied to my query," the acrobat replied, somewhat sourly. "Although S did mention last week some sort of meeting he was attending--"

"The AGM," Heero sighed.

"The what?" 

Heero shrugged. He didn't feel like elaborating.

"It would be ridiculous to think the child could pilot a Gundam," Wufei continued. "I doubt he could reach the controls from his seat. And what use will he be to us otherwise?"

"Good morning." Quatre appeared in the kitchen, already neatly dressed. "What are our plans for today?"

"There's not a lot we can do," Wufei took another sip of tea. "Not until the doctors deign to inform us of their plans. I'll be moving my stuff into Heero's room and then researching future missions." There was a faint hint of accusation in his voice--he hadn't got over being forced to surrender his room. 

"Good," Quatre said brightly. "Trowa, would you mind helping Wufei move? I would too, but I'm going to go up town to get some supplies."

"What for? We have everything we need," Heero said. 

"In case you hadn't noticed, Yuy, we have an extra person staying with us. And while living out of cans might be all right for us, we have a growing child with us and it's our responsibility to make sure that he receives the proper nutrients and vitamins he needs."

Heero was sorry he'd asked. From Quatre's tone he hadn't been forgiven one bit. 

"Where is the child?" Wufei asked.

"He's a little bit nervous about being around all of us," Quatre said, glaring at Heero. "Some of us more than others. I'll take him some breakfast now and then go into town to do the shopping."

"I can do the shopping," Heero volunteered, hoping to reconcile with Quatre that way. The blond frowned.

"I don't think so. You're still being sought by the police, remember?" 

Quatre poured a bowl of cereal. "That reminds me, Trowa will you look through the OZ reports, see if anyone has connected yesterdays incident with the Gundams or the Rebellion?"

The green eyed boy nodded. "Anything else you want us to do?"

"No--just see that the child is all right. Talk to him--once the strangeness of all of this wears off he'll be feeling lonely."

Duo was never lonely.

Heero pushed his unfinished breakfast aside and went out into the hangar. 

That was a lie--Duo was life, and joy and yes, danger and death to, but he was never without something to say, someone to listen to--

"I don't understand," he admitted once inside Wing's comforting metal interior. "Duo--" he stopped, having no words.

Wing, as always, remained silent.


	3. chapter three

Mission Implausible #3.

By girl_starfish.

"That must be some fascinating programming, Yuy."

Heero blinked, rubbing at his eyes. He was lying face flat against Wing's metal walls. How long had he been there for? "Wufei," he acknowledged.

The Chinese pilot looked smug. "I've never known the 'perfect soldier' to fall asleep on duty before."

"I wasn't asleep," Heero said. "I was thinking. Wufei--do you really think that kid is Duo?"

The directness of the question startled him. Wufei hesitated. "What else could he be? The scientists sent him to us because he is Duo--albeit, a different version of him."

"He's not our Duo," Heero said. 

"You have to expect some differences, Yuy. He's had much of the same upbringing as our Duo had, and that was why the scientists chose him. They selected him at the exact moment their experiences began to differ drastically."

Heero looked up at him. "How do you know that?"

"The Doctors replied to Trowa. Quatre wants us all to assemble in the safe house, so we can go over their instructions."

"And the child?"

"Is occupied with the shopping Quatre did." Wufei's tone as he led the way from the hangar was disapproving. "If he continues to spoil the child, he will be ungovernable. Firm discipline mixed with affection is how one should raise a child--"

Heero entered the kitchen and stared. It looked as though someone had emptied a small toy store in it. He had grave misgivings about this.

Quatre and the other-Duo were happily removing boxes from the shopping bags.

"You'll be all right if I leave you to it?" Quatre asked, once he spotted Heero and Wufei.

The kid gave him a look. "What are these toys going to do? Bite me?"

"You're fine. Good." Quatre patted him on the shoulder and then led the way into the lounge.

Trowa was there, expression neutral, as always, and the Doctors' instructions on the computer screen before him.

"Well?" Quatre asked, sitting down.

Trowa waited for Wufei and Heero to take the couch before replying. "The doctor's want us to take care of the child for as long as it takes to crack pilot 02's code. They intend we do a full psychological analysis of the child and apply that information to the code. In the meantime, they recommend we start training the child in the rudiments of combat."

"What?" Quatre was horrified.

"They are insane!" Wufei was also outraged. "That is preposterous! They can't want us to send a child into battle--"

"This is J's doing," Heero said quietly, more to his own thoughts than to any of the others. He knew J's lack of qualms too well. He'd met them first hand.

"I can't believe them! I knew they were single-minded to the point they think nothing of the harm their actions inflict as long as they achieve their goals, but this! This beats everything!" Quatre took a deep breath. "They can't have gone to all the trouble of bringing the child here just on the off-chance that he can be used to figure out a code written by someone six years his senior, with influences and knowledge we have no means of recreating!"

"That's another thing," Trowa noted flatly. "He is not to be told anything of this mission, not even that he is from another universe. If he consciously tries to recreate Duo the scientists fear the experiment will be jeopardised."

"Like it isn't already shaky as hell."

Three pilots blinked.

Had Quatre really just sworn?

"So what do we do?"

Surprisingly, Heero asked the question. For once, his voice was humbled--uncertain even. Shorn of the certainty befitting a perfect soldier, he sounded a different person altogether.

"I don't know--" Quatre searched for Trowa's hand. "The idea has a very low chance of success and yet--I will not abandon that poor child to the doctors."

"No," Heero said determinedly. "That must not happen."

"So you're suggesting we keep him?" Trowa turned his one visible eye towards Heero.

"I don't know. Can we look after him any better than the doctors? I haven't done a very good job of that so far--"

"We have to keep him. We have a duty to our absent colleague to do all we can to find him, and to avenge him if necessary," Wufei said. "I'm aware that the chances are not good, but it's better than anything we have." The others nodded, glumly. "But I refuse to teach the child war."

"Me too." Quatre scrolled down the scientist's instructions. "Actually, they've specified what areas he's to be taught and some of it's not bad--mechanics, programming and code-breaking--that could be pretty useful."

For us or for him? Heero wondered but did not ask. Instead he took the mouse from Quatre's hand and continued to scroll down.

"They have a mission for one of us," he noted.

"Surveillance--it looks pretty basic," Trowa said. "Only thing is it will take a week."

Heero nodded. "I'll do it. If I'm not here the child can settle in, feel secure--and when I return we might be able to start over."

Wufei and Trowa nodded as Heero left to pack--he was never a believer in wasting time.

Quatre followed him. "Do you mean that? About starting over?"

"He is not my Duo," Heero said. "But that is not his fault. I should not resent him for that. And . . . he is so little. It's almost absurd how small his wrists are, have you noticed?"

He looked at the blond pilot nervously, to see if this was odd, but Quatre was nodding, looking grave. 

"He's underweight for a kid his age. He hasn't had a lot--I suppose I've been going a bit overboard, giving him things, but I want him to be happy--"

Heero frowned. "He reminds me of someone I met once. A little girl--"

"If you like I'll write to you every day, tell you how he is doing," Quatre said.

Heero nodded. His backpack was kept ready for occasions such as this, and he had only a few items to add before being ready to leave. 

Quatre accompanied him through the kitchen. "Will you say goodbye?"

"Do you think I should?"

"You have to talk to him at some point, you know. You can't just ignore him."

Heero supposed Quatre had a point. The kid was no longer in the kitchen, however. He and a good number of the toys had migrated into what had once been Wufei's room. 

"Hello," Quatre said, pushing the door open. "May we come in?"

Other-Duo was carefully laying dominoes in a straight line. He shrugged not looking up at either of them but Heero knew he was fully aware of exactly who was present. He'd seen the way the child's mouth had tightened--he had not forgotten the previous day as easily as Quatre had forgiven it.

"Heero's going away for a while," Quatre said, undaunted. "He's come to say goodbye."

Another domino stood behind his friends.

"I'm sorry for yesterday," Heero said. "Everyone is always telling me I need to be aware of other's peoples emotions. I am sorry to have caused you distress. I will be gone a week. I hope when I return to be able to start things over--I would like to get to know you, Duo," he ended, wistfully.

The child did not look away from the dominoes. After a few long minutes, when it came apparent that he wasn't going to say anything, Heero left. Quatre shut the door behind him and hurried after him. 

"Don't let his response discourage you. I'm sure--"

"I'm not discouraged, Quatre," Heero said, stopping the blond before he could continue into a full blown angst-attack. "The child is stubborn--in that he resembles Duo. I think I might have been more disappointed if the child agreed to be friends now." He nodded to his fellow pilot. "I'll see you in a week."

It took Heero two weeks to complete the mission. It was not particularly difficult work, and Heero had pursued it with all his characteristic single-mindedness--whether to return to the safe house quicker or so he could devote more time to Duo's code, he couldn't say. But fate or the scientists had interfered, and another surveillance operation was added to his current mission.

As he left Wing in the hangar and walked towards the house, he turned over the details of Quatre's e-mails, trying to prepare himself for the situation at hand.

Although Quatre had kept to his intention of writing, the details he recorded gave Heero as many questions as answers--Quatre had just happily reported that the child had spent an uninterrupted night by himself in his new room. Did that mean he would not sleep in the room? Or had the nightmares continued? There were other areas for concern. Wufei was instructing the child in the basics of education--Heero could not picture Duo making a docile pupil or Wufei being a patient teacher.

Heero stepped inside the safe house quietly, mindful of the fact that children needed greater amounts of sleep than adults, and that there was a good chance that the child was already in bed. Shrugging off his jacket, then, he was surprised by a peal of laughter coming from the lounge. 

He followed the sound to the lounge. While Trowa watched, amused, Quatre was wrestling with the other Duo, laughing as he pinned the younger boy down to subject him to a bout of tickling. Duo shrieked with laughter as he struggled to pull himself away from Quatre, laughing too hard for his efforts to have any success.

The door opened and Wufei entered, holding a copy of 'The Wind in The Willows' in his hand. "Time to brush your teeth," he told the child. "It's your bedtime."

"But I don't wanna go to bed!"

"Tough," Wufei said. "You know the rules."

The child pouted but appeared to be obeying--at least until he reached the doorway where he promptly stuck out his tongue at Wufei before scampering off. "Ya gotta catch me first!"

"Thanks a lot," Wufei said to Quatre. "I've told you not to play with him just before bedtime. You get him all hyped up and then I have the hardest time getting him to go to sleep."

Quatre was still catching his breath. "Sorry," he said. "I lost track of time."

Trowa snorted softly. "I think it's time I put Quatre to bed," he said to Wufei.

"So," Heero said. "I go away for a fortnight and this is what happens."

"Heero!" The three remaining pilots stood up to greet him. 

"When did you get back?"

"How did the mission go?"

"It went fine," Heero said. "Your mission?"

He was answered rather unexpectedly as their mission came tearing round the corner and collided with him. Heero put a hand out to steady the child.

"Are you all right?"

The child flinched away from him. "You!"

Heero answered the other-duo's dismay calmly. "My mission is completed. I am back now." He knelt down so he was closer the kid's level. "I meant what I said about starting over--"

Two wide violet eyes stared at him and then narrowed. "I meant what I said too!"

"About what?" Heero asked.

"About hating your guts!" The child turned and vanished down the corridor.

Heero turned to see if the other pilots had heard the exchange, they had.

"I'll put him to bed," Wufei said, excusing himself quickly from the awkward situation.

Heero stood slowly, waiting for Quatre or Trowa to break the silence. When they didn't he remarked neutrally "He appears to be doing well."

"He's a very lively kid," Quatre said. "Heero, kids at his age--I'm sure--"

"Don't apologise, Quatre. He's nine years old--of course he's not going to be reasonable about this," Heero said. "I should go type my mission report."

Heero was typing at this computer when Wufei came in. "I should thank you," he said to Heero. "It takes me ages to get him settled down but he did not protest at all when I put out the light tonight."

Heero didn't smile. He finished his report. "Tell me, Wufei, how do you think the child is?"

"Is? You mean--what?"

"Emotionally," Heero clarified.

"He's more confident," Wufei said with a smile. "He's settling in nicely. His manners and his attention span could be improved but that could be said of any child--and a great deal of adults too."

Heero nodded. He knew very little of children. "Is he eating well?"

"He's eating lots but I couldn't say if he's eating well," Wufei sounded disapproving. "Quatre's in charge of his diet. In my opinion he buys the child too many sweets--"

It was strange seeing Wufei sitting on Duo's bed, his hair free of the tight ponytail brushing his hair in short, methodical strokes. Duo used to do the same thing, waving his hairbrush for emphasis as he tried to convince Heero they should take a day off and fly kites or go roller skating. He should never have told Duo he'd never been to a theme park. Duo hadn't either and decided it was an absolute necessity the two of them went. He'd begged, he'd pleaded, he'd sulked, and finally he'd gone behind Heero's back to bully J into giving them a day off in order 'to recuperate from the stresses involved in piloting the Gundams.' So they'd gone and--

Heero paused. 

He had had the best afternoon of his life. 

"Heero? You okay?" 

Heero blinked. Wufei had put down the brush and was looking at him with concern. "I'm tired."

Wufei nodded. He replaced his reading glasses and book by the side of his bed. "I could do with an early night myself. Goodnight."

It was going to be weird sharing a room with Wufei, Heero could tell. Wufei was polite, respectful of his wishes, quiet--he missed Duo like anything. 

"Goodnight," he said. Heero changed into his sleeping clothes, neatly folding his day clothes aside. He climbed into this bed--and paused. "Wufei? Is there a reason there is a sandwich in my bed--"

"Oh, not again!" Wufei thrust the bin in Heero's direction. "I thought we'd got him to stop doing this."

"Putting sandwiches in my bed?"

"Not your bed. He's doesn't quite believe us when we tell him that the food isn't going to run out so he has caches of food hidden around the place." Wufei sighed, polishing his glasses on his pyjama sleeve. "He hid half a hamburger behind the heater in the workroom--we still haven't got the smell out."

"Oh," said Heero. 

"And you might want to air out Wing before you fly in it again--"

Heero choked. "You let him into Wing?"

"No."

"But--"

"Last week the doctors sent us upgrades for our Gundams. Trowa thought he'd install yours for you and opened it--to find the cockpit full of brussel sprouts."

"Brussel sprouts?" Heero repeated. "He bypassed the trickiest security system J could devise to hide brussel sprouts in my Gundam?"

"He is really stubborn about eating his vegetables," Wufei sighed. "We're still not sure how he got into Wing. But at least he can't get out of the house." Wufei pulled up the curtain to demonstrate that the window was fastened. "Everything that can open is locked and barred from the outside. Trowa has the key to the front door, and the tool box is hidden under your bed."

"The tool box?"

"He was using it to take the locks off the windows," Wufei said with a yawn. "Of course, he hasn't tried that for a while. Goodnight, Heero."

"Goodnight." Heero lay down. He had a lot to think about it. Although he had little knowledge of children he had to admit that he was not entirely happy about this one's actions. He did not sound like a contented child--

And his bed smelt of ham.

"Good morning!" Quatre greeted Heero cheerfully the next day. Trowa nodded, the child ignored him, concentrating instead on the steady consumption of a bowl of cereal. "How did you sleep?"

"Reasonably well," Heero said. He looked at the child, wondering if he should broach the subject of the sandwich.

"We have a few changes in our routine now," Quatre said, bring a piece of paper taped to the fridge over to Heero. Each of us spends a couple of hours with Duo, teaching him."

Heero looked at the list. It read:

8-11WufeiReading, Writing, Mathematics & History (1/2 hour break when necessary)

11-12Quatre Music.

12-1 Lunchtime

1-2 TrowaGym

"What about sciences?" Heero asked.

"We were hoping you could take him for those. Just for an hour, at first, and if he can handle more than that, we'll add more. In the afternoons he usually brings a few toys into the hangar to be around us while we repair the Gundams, or watches TV."

The Japanese pilot nodded. "I'll be happy to teach him."

"I don't want him to!" Duo broke his silence. "I don't like him, I don't want him to teach me, and I hate science, it's stupid and I don't need it--" He scowled at Heero. "So there!"

"I know you and Heero got off on the wrong foot," Quatre said. "But he has apologised and does want to try again. He won't hurt you, and there is a lot he could teach you."

"Big whoop," younger Duo said caustically, giving Heero a strange sense of déjà vu.

Wufei came out of the bathroom, towelling his hair dry. "Ready to begin?"

Other-Duo hastily swallowed the rest of his cereal, following Wufei into the lounge. 

Heero spent the morning looking at the new additions made to Wing and getting used to them. He spent a good deal of time trying not to think of three o'clock--the time set aside for his science lesson. 

When three o'clock came he found Duo and Trowa in the lounge. Trowa had pushed the sofa and chairs against the wall and, with the sofa cushions spread out over the floor as a mat, had been teaching the child how to take a fall.

Duo was sulky the moment he spotted Heero, going from laughing as he vainly tried to push Trowa over, to silent and trying to hide behind the lanky youth. 

Heero put the lounge back in order as Trowa tried to detach the child from his arm. 

"Don't be silly," he told the child. "Heero is not about to hurt you--and if he yells at you the rest of us will yell at him."

That was meant as much for Heero as for the child. Heero nodded as Trowa finally pried his hand loose. 

And then he was alone with other-Duo.

Heero looked at the child in front of him, summoning all of the calm that J had taught him, not to give up at the determined pout that crossed the child's face. 

"I thought we'd have our lesson in the kitchen today," he said. "We'll start by looking at bacteria."

The child was silent while Heero explained what bacteria were and the effects they could have on people, but Heero sensed he was listening intently. When they went down to the workroom to examine through the microscope, the bacteria on a week old sandwich Heero happened to 'find', Heero saw interest written all over the child's face.

"Eww--And they're all alive?"

"Yes, although not like we are. They can't move, all they can do is multiply."

"That's pretty gross." The child seemed to suddenly remember he was talking to Heero and shut up.

"Of course, some bacteria is useful--and there are ways of protecting food from going off. The fridge is one, cooking or preserving food is another," Heero said, leading the child back to the kitchen. 

As the hour drew to a close, Heero put a couple of cans of tinned food on the table. "If you're looking to build a store of food for emergencies, these will be more useful than hiding sandwiches in my bed," he said bluntly.

Duo's stare went from the cans of food to Heero's face. "You're not going to tell me off?" 

"Why? It was a good idea, even if you went about it the wrong way. Although we want to take care of you, we can't predict everything that could happen--it's probably good for you to have some food of your own."

Duo tucked the cans away inside his sweatshirt. "Um, Heero? Where I'm from, there was a plague when I was little--you think if we'd had proper food, so many wouldn't have died?"

A plague? "Without knowing more about the exact circumstances of the plague I can't be certain, but its highly likely."

The child nodded grimly and went off to hide his canned food.

"That was well done, Heero." Quatre's appearance startled Heero. "We've been trying to persuade him to stop hiding food for ages, but I think he listened to you--"

"Do you know anything about a plague?" Heero asked. "Did Duo--our Duo--mention anything about one to you?"

"He did," Quatre nodded. "Shortly after you self-destructed--while he was staying with me and we thought you were dead--he said something about already having lost one best friend in a plague--"

So young to be acquainted with death. Heero was trying hard not to imagine what L2 would have been like during a plague, but the brief glimpse he'd been given of its crowded paths and squalid living conditions did not fill him with confidence. Although his childhood had been harsh, and the hints Quatre gave of Trowa's were similarly bleak, he'd always thought Duo's had been happy--he'd liked to think that. And Duo had let him--what else hadn't he mentioned?

"Heero?" Quatre asked as Heero abruptly stood and marched towards his room.

"I have a search to perform," Heero said. "I'll see you later."

Hours later, Heero closed the last webpage. He'd been staring at the headline 'Maxwell Church--One Survivor' for almost an hour. His mind was racing. There had been hints, sure, but Duo had never said anything--no wonder he hadn't been able to break Duo's code! He knew him the best out of all the pilots and he didn't know him at all!


	4. Four.

Mission Implausible 4.  
  
By girl_starfish.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Wufei had folded away the book as neatly as he'd done anything else, and then drawn the covers up to his chin. "Goodnight, Duo," he'd said, and his hand had lingered for a moment on the child's head before he'd turned the lights out and left.  
  
Duo was pleased.  
  
Okay so it wasn't quite on the level of a goodnight kiss, but it was getting there. Not that he particularly wanted to be kissed goodnight by Wufei, he wasn't interested in getting slobbered over like adults always seemed to be. But parents, or so he'd heard from the few kids at the orphanage that actually remembered theirs, kissed you goodnight. None of the people at any of the homes he'd been in had done that, and all of them, in a couple of weeks, had sent him back.  
  
The pilots weren't his first choice of parents, that was for sure, but they were better than nothing. He'd been on his best behaviour for them and it seemed to be working. Quatre liked him, Wufei seemed to enjoy their goodnight story as much as he did, and although Trowa was somewhat hard to figure out Duo was fairly sure he didn't plan to sell him to a meat factory. Sister Helen said that Wallis was making that up but you never knew. They did seem to have a lot of food--  
  
The only problem was Heero.  
  
It was quiet outside. Duo listened for a moment to be sure then slipped over to his dresser. He pulled out the bottom drawer, all the way out, and felt in the hollow space beneath it. This was where he kept his food store. It now numbered five cans; Duo had been busy since his science lesson. Having checked that all cans were secure he moved onto the other contents of his hiding place.  
  
There were a few pieces of wire he'd taken while Trowa had been working on Heavyarms, Quatre's torch, a can opener, and Wufei's hairbrush. Not a bad start. Duo carefully replaced the drawer and climbed back into bed.  
  
Heero was a problem. Duo didn't think he'd be as easy to please as Quatre and Wufei, and Heero definitely didn't think he was a good kid. After all, he'd got Heero into a lot of trouble. Not that he hadn't deserved it, but Heero knew what Duo could do, so he might not be so willing to have him around as Quatre and Wufei who hadn't seen Duo at his bratty best. Sure, he was acting nice now but Duo didn't buy it one bit. So Heero was going to be difficult.  
  
Duo frowned. He could hear a murmur of voices from the lounge, and the steps in the passage outside his room--Quatre and Trowa going to bed. A few minutes later the hall light was turned out. He shut his eyes and tried to go to sleep.  
  
His room was so quiet. Duo tossed restlessly. It was stupid but the moment it got quiet he got nervous. In the silence of the night it was so easy to think that you'd been left--  
  
What was that?  
  
Duo sat up quickly.  
  
It was only a moth, beating at the windows in a vain attempt to escape. Stupid insects, didn't they know better than to fly inside where they might scare someone? Duo lay down again, his heart beating fast. It was lucky he was nine years old, too old to be scared of something as stupid as a moth.  
  
The moth was silent now.  
  
Good. Duo pulled the covers up to his chin and tried to sleep.  
  
But the moth was still out there.  
  
What if it flew onto him while he slept? Or worse, crawled into his mouth or something? That girl Nina, the one with the pigtails, had told the other kids about this guy who had had his brain eaten when an insect of some sort had crawled inside his ear while he slept--  
  
Okay, that was it; he was getting Quatre.  
  
"What's the problem?" Quatre asked sleepily. "Did you have a nightmare again?"  
  
"I'm not a baby," Duo said. "I wasn't scared."  
  
"Of course not," Trowa said. He had his head buried beneath his pillow, his voice was somewhat indistinct.  
  
Quatre smiled at him. "What's the problem then?"  
  
"There's a moth in my room," Duo said.  
  
This seemed to fail to impress Trowa who rolled over to look at Duo. "A moth?"  
  
"A big one," Duo said defensively.  
  
"Just ignore it," Quatre said. "Moths are harmless."  
  
Oh sure, easy for him to say. Betcha a moth never tried to eat his brain. Duo decided to pull out the big guns. He stuck out his lower lip and sniffled pathetically. "Can't you put it out?"  
  
"It's late--" Quatre looked at the worried face in front of him and wavered.  
  
Better not suck his thumb, Duo decided. He didn't want them to think he was too pathetic. So instead he scrubbed at his eyes and sniffed again.  
  
It worked. With a sigh Quatre climbed out of bed. "Fine then. Let's get this moth of yours."  
  
Sitting in bed with the lights on, watching as Quatre pursued the wayward moth in his pyjamas, Duo felt a lot better. Quatre's attempts to capture the insect were hampered by the fact he was trying not to hurt it. Eventually the moth was chased out into the hallway.  
  
"Thanks," Duo said.  
  
"No problem," Quatre said, sitting on the edge of his bed. "You know, Duo, moths are attracted to light. If you get another moth in here, the best thing to do might just be to turn the hall light on and leave your door open."  
  
"So the moth will see the light and fly out?" Duo considered this. "Why didn't you do that before?"  
  
"That would have been smart," Quatre conceded. "Unfortunately, I didn't think of that." He laughed and tickled Duo's ribs. "If you even think of telling the others about this--"  
  
"I won't! I won't!" Duo protested, trying to tickle Quatre back. The older boy tucked him in. He wasn't as neat as Wufei but he did hug Duo.  
  
"Goodnight," he said. "Sleep well."  
  
"Quatre?" Duo said as the blond left. "Do you think you could maybe leave the door open? Just in case there are any more moths."  
  
"Not a problem," Quatre said, pulling the door shut so there was just a stream of light left.  
  
Duo settled back to sleep contented.  
  
People who hugged you goodnight did not, in his book, abandon you.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Wufei was up first, having finished his morning meditations, and sitting at the table when Trowa entered, yawning.  
  
"How did he go last night?"  
  
Trowa shook his head. "A moth," he said. "I'm beginning to wonder if the scientists didn't make a mistake--"  
  
Duo Maxwell scared of moths? Wufei had to admit it didn't seem very likely. Still, the kid was only nine years old.  
  
There was a movement at the door as Duo entered, already dressed and hair neatly plaited. "Good morning!" he chirped.  
  
"Good morning," Wufei said as Trowa fetched the child's bowl and poured him some cereal, a mute apology in case the child had heard--he hoped not, but still--  
  
Duo stirred his cereal gravely then announced "I'm not eating this."  
  
"Why not?" Wufei asked.  
  
"Because I don't like it."  
  
"You ate it yesterday," Trowa pointed out. The answer he got was a shrug.  
  
Trowa and Wufei exchanged glances. Wufei stood. "I suppose I could make you some toast--would that suit?"  
  
"I don't eat toast."  
  
"I see. And what do you eat?"  
  
"From now on I'm only eating food out of cans," Duo said firmly.  
  
"Cans?" Wufei was confused but Trowa had had a talk with Quatre last night and was beginning to see where this was going.  
  
"Why only canned food?"  
  
"Because of bacteria."  
  
"Ah," Trowa nodded. "Fresh food is okay. There aren't bacteria in it. Well there is, but so little its harmless--" Trowa saw the look on the child's face and realised he was not doing a good job of convincing his audience. "Cereal is kept in little airtight plastic bags inside the packet, see?" he said, showing Duo the container. "No bugs in there."  
  
"Yeah, but how do you know there weren't bacterias in there before they were put in the bag?" Duo asked.  
  
"There are certain processes that get rid of bacteria in food," Trowa said. "Like boiling--"  
  
"Or even baking," Wufei added. "And not all types of food are at the same risk of developing bacteria. Dry goods, like cereal and rice can be stored at room temperature for long periods of time, just so long as they are air tight."  
  
"So why is cereal any different from other foods anyway?"  
  
This prompted a lengthier explanation. Wufei and Trowa were required to drudge up information from the very depths of their brains.  
  
"What about milk?" Other Duo was still sceptical at the end of their explanation. "That comes out of cows, right? I bet they don't take baths or nothing."  
  
"Milk has to go through a stringent process of pasteurisation before it is bottled," Wufei said. "All the bacteria are taken care of."  
  
"Are you sure?" Duo hesitated.  
  
"We're eating it," Trowa said. "That would have to mean we were sure."  
  
"I guess so." Duo took a spoonful of cereal.  
  
"Good morning," Heero said as he came downstairs. He paused at the looks he was getting. "What?"  
  
"I think you need to give Duo another science lesson," Wufei said sourly.  
  
Duo pushed his bowl away.  
  
"What is it now?" asked Trowa.  
  
"I can't eat it," Duo said. "It's gone all soggy."  
  
It was rather fortunate that Quatre entered then. "Good morning," he said. "How is everyone today?"  
  
While Quatre got Duo a new bowl of cereal, the pilots discussed their missions. Heero's surveillance had uncovered a suspicious amount of activity surrounding a munitions factory--OZ was probably taking advantage of the lull in battle to prepare a surprise strike. It was imperative the pilots counter attack before OZ got its forces into space--the only question was how.  
  
"I'll need the specifics of your report," Quatre said to Heero. "We can look over them while Wufei takes Duo for his lessons."  
  
Wufei nodded, standing. "Come on, Duo. We'd better get started." As he ushered the child into the lounge, he turned back around to face the pilots. "Have one of you borrowed my copy of the Tale of Two Cities? I haven't seen it for days."  
  
"Maybe you misplaced it," Quatre suggested. "It'll turn up."  
  
"I guess so," Wufei shut the door behind them.  
  
"What now?" asked Trowa.  
  
"We've been extraordinarily lucky that OZ decided to take a break in their operations just as the child arrived so we could spend time with him," Quatre said. "But it had to end some time. I suggest we start planning this raid and try to work around his lessons as much as possible."  
  
"He'll need somewhere to stay while we carry out this raid," Trowa said. "It'll take us two days just to get there and back, not to mention carrying out the raid itself--"  
  
"Better make it four days," Quatre said. "We have to add in preliminary scouting--"  
  
"Make it three," suggested Heero. "One of us can go on ahead and do the scouting and prepare the ground for the rest of us."  
  
"Good thinking," Quatre said. "I'll arrange somewhere for the child to stay while you and Trowa check the maps for a good place for us to set up camp."  
  
It was a lot harder than Quatre had anticipated to find a suitable babysitter for Duo. They had to be completely trustworthy, away from OZ's notice, and able to defend Duo if OZ did get interested in him, not to mention being able to keep up with the kid.  
  
It was too bad the Manguanacs were in space. The forty of them should just have been able to manage Duo all right. There was no way Quatre would hand Duo over to the scientists, and he hated to involve anyone else--he had a feeling if he asked Hilde to mind Duo they would never get him back. Sally was a possibility, but the doctor was likely to take one look at the kid's skinny frame and write out a list of instructions and vitamins for the pilots . . . not to mention giving them a lecture on children's health to rival one of Wufei's.  
  
That left . . . Relena.  
  
Somehow Quatre didn't think that was a good idea.  
  
He was searching for Sally's latest number when the phone rang.  
  
"Howard," he said surprised. "It's been a while since we've heard from you."  
  
Howard nodded. "Me and the boys intercepted a cargo of mobile suit parts we thought you might be interested in. We're in the area, I thought I'd offer you first pick."  
  
Quatre nodded. "How much?"  
  
"For friends of Duo's?" Howard winked. "It's yours if you want it."  
  
"That's far too generous," Quatre protested. "We can't possibly accept--"  
  
"I'm serious, Quatre. The parts didn't cost us anything--and I know giving them to you is what Duo would have wanted."  
  
"He was that important to you?" Quatre asked.  
  
"Oh, the kid was practically a son to me. He was kind of like our mascot," Howard laughed. "I can still remember the way he used to tear round the ship as a kid, getting into every imaginable sort of mischief. Livened the place up no end."  
  
"Duo lived with you?"  
  
"G was staying with us while he built Deathscythe, and when Duo turned up, he stayed too. Must have been a couple of years, I guess--" Howard sighed. "When I heard that Duo had disappeared, I couldn't--is there any news?"  
  
"Nothing new," Quatre said. "But the scientists have come up with a new plan and we're working on it at the moment. In fact--you might be able to help us with it."  
  
"Anything I can do, I will," Howard said.  
  
--oOo--  
  
The pilots were able to keep up Duo's routine of lessons for a couple more days before the necessity of preparing for the raid demanded their complete attention. Trowa left to secure their base and do the preliminary scouting, while the other pilots began the task of preparing the arms and equipment needed in the operation for transport.  
  
This meant Duo was pretty much left to his own devices. This suited the child. Although social by nature, and enjoying his lessons, he had an agenda of his own to pursue. It was this agenda that led him to the bedroom Heero and Wufei shared.  
  
Between the beds there was a bedside cabinet with two cupboards. One of them, Heero's, was unlocked. Duo had already investigated it. All it held were a few neatly folded socks and an extension cord for his laptop. Boring!  
  
The other one was locked. Duo knew it wasn't by Wufei because Wufei had spent some time looking for the key. None of the other pilots had had it and so the little cupboard had remained locked.  
  
It was not going to remain locked for much longer. Duo pulled the bits of wire he'd appropriated while Trowa hadn't been watching him out from his pocket. He'd spent some time shaping them so they made reasonable lock picking tools but it was now time to test them. After all, he had to keep his hand in somehow. There was no point in getting soft while he stayed with the pilots--  
  
That said, he settled down to his task with all the application of a professional.  
  
About twenty determined minutes later the cupboard fell open.  
  
"Thank-you, thank-you!" Duo waved to an imaginary audience. "It was nothing folks!"  
  
He pulled the cupboard open eagerly. To pause in confusion.  
  
After all, who locks a cupboard leaving the key inside?  
  
Duo set the key, hanging on a hook just inside the cupboard to one side carefully, and begin lifting out the contents of the cupboard.  
  
It was a regular treasure store. Chocolate bars, a couple of screw drivers and wires that Duo could tell at a glance would be perfect for bypassing all kinds of locks, and a pile of comic books. Duo flicked through those with interest but put them back as too adult to be interesting. There were some tapes and CDs stored in the cupboard as well, but what really interested Duo was a package of photos lodged at the back of the cupboard just behind a loose piece of board. He turned them over intently.  
  
Quatre smiled at him, a paper crown lopsided on his head. He was seated in Trowa's lap, there was a cake behind them--a birthday? Cool.  
  
Wufei looking annoyed as he tried to avoid his photo being taken--Duo had to snicker at that one. A strange girl he didn't know, Heero smiling--Duo had to take another look at that one but it wasn't a trick of the light-- with his arm around another guy that--  
  
Duo paused.  
  
Okay, this was officially weird. He'd thought he was the only guy with a plait that long--and woah, this guy's hair was even a similar colour.  
  
"Freaky," he murmured turning the photo over to see if there was anything written on the other side--to hear voices coming down the hall. Duo pushed the cupboard door shut and dived under the closest bed with the stuff from the cupboard that was still out.  
  
Split seconds later the door opened and Heero entered the room. Duo held his breath as the Japanese pilot walked over to the desk and began to set up his laptop. As he went to plug in the adapter at the wall, he passed the cupboard door--which had ever so slightly slipped ajar.  
  
Duo crossed his fingers--please, please, please--  
  
Heero plugged in the adapter, went to stand up and paused. He opened the cupboard slowly. For several long moments that was all he did. Then he shut the cupboard and stood.  
  
"You can come out. I won't yell at you."  
  
What? Duo froze. Did he know--was he tricking?  
  
"It will be a lot less humiliating for the both of us if you come out of your hiding place of your own free will," Heero said. "I'd hate to have to try and drag you out--"  
  
Duo decided he didn't like that either. He crawled out from under the bed.  
  
The Japanese pilot looked at him with his usual set expression. "You've been busy."  
  
"I wasn't doing nothing wrong," Duo said. "I was only looking."  
  
"I see," Heero knelt again to the cupboard. "And where did you find the key?"  
  
"That was the really weird part," Duo said, forgetting he was talking to Heero. "It was on the inside of the cupboard, on a little nail--"  
  
"I won't ask how you got in then," Heero said as Duo faltered. "Is this all that was in the cupboard?"  
  
Duo gave him the things that he still had with him, mutely resentful.  
  
Heero packed them all away in the cupboard. "Do you think you could lock it again from the outside? And I don't mean with the key."  
  
Duo hesitated. Could he really mean--"I guess I could try. I've never done that before."  
  
Heero put the key back on the little hook. "Why not give it a shot?"  
  
It shouldn't be any trickier than trying to get a thing unlocked--all you had to do was catch the little hooks inside the lock and then jiggle them till they fell in the right places--  
  
"How come you're not mad?" Duo asked as he worked.  
  
"Why should I be mad?" Heero asked.  
  
"Most people wouldn't be happy to know they've taken home a kid who can get past their locks."  
  
"We're not most people," Heero said. "You may have noticed."  
  
"Whose stuff is this anyway?" Duo asked. "I don't think Wufei would have had us all looking for a key he had carefully stored in the cupboard."  
  
Heero hesitated. "There used to be five of us pilots."  
  
"The guy with the braid? Was he a pilot?"  
  
"How did you know that?" Heero demanded.  
  
Duo's eyes widened, that was almost yelling at him. "There were photos, in the cupboard. I didn't damage anything--"  
  
"I'm sorry," Heero was--apologising? To him? "He was my best friend--more than a best friend. I still have a hard time believing that he's gone."  
  
Duo was interested. Heero actually sounded upset--"So what happened? Did he abandon you?"  
  
"No--No, he would never do that." Heero sighed. "We don't know. He went on a mission and never came back."  
  
"Oh," Duo said. "That's too bad." He tugged at the door to check it was really locked. "He looked cool--and he has some neat junk." He had another thought. "Is that why you picked me? Because I look kinda like him?"  
  
"Something like that," Heero said. "You're a lot like him in other ways too- -personality, inventiveness--you remind me a lot of him. I was angry when you first arrived because you were so much like him I was worried you would replace him--but you're different too. I see that now--"  
  
"What's his name?"  
  
Heero paused a moment then answered. "Maxwell."  
  
"Ya think maybe we might be related? I mean, we look kind of alike, and it'd be neat to have actual family--not that you guys aren't cool and everything--"  
  
"It's a possibility, I'm sure," Heero said. "Now you'd better get going. And if you'd like I'll forget I ever saw the cupboard open."  
  
So he now had two good hiding places and some tools that would seriously come in handy. He'd also noticed the pilot's toolbox while hiding under the bed.  
  
Knowing about Maxwell explained a lot of other things too. Why Quatre knew what kind of sandwiches he liked without asking, why occasionally the pilots looked sad around him, why there were five beds.  
  
Duo was quiet the rest of the day; he had a lot to think about.  
  
Quatre was concerned; he fussed over Duo whenever he had a free minute. "Do you think he's coming down with something?" he asked Wufei and Heero as the pilots finished lunch, Duo pursuing his own devices elsewhere. "He hasn't been this quiet since he first arrived. Do you think he's lonely? What if he's homesick?"  
  
"He's fine, Quatre," Wufei said. "He's a tough little kid, a couple of hours on his own isn't going to kill him."  
  
"I told him about Duo," Heero announced.  
  
Wufei and Quatre turned to look at him.  
  
"You disobeyed a mission parameter?"  
  
Strangely Quatre didn't sound angry, just . . . speculative. Heero nodded. "He found a photo of Duo, remarked upon the similarities--I told him he was a pilot, our friend, who was missing--he asked me if the reason the scientists had chosen him was because they looked so similar and I said that it was partly that."  
  
"Neatly handled, Yuy," Wufei said. "The name similarity would have caused problems though."  
  
Heero smirked. "Not at all. I introduced him as Maxwell."  
  
"Clever," Wufei conceded, pausing as the door opened and Duo came in with a video.  
  
Heero was surprised as both Wufei and Quatre flinched. Duo sat down at the table, the video in front of him. "I want to watch my video. Can one of you put it on for me?"  
  
"But you've seen it a million times already!"  
  
"Don't you want to watch something different? Like--uh--cartoons or something?"  
  
Heero had a different question. "Why can't he put it on himself? I mean, a video player is not that hard to operate."  
  
"I promise I won't try and take it apart again," Duo said. "Really."  
  
"We had a collective agreement," Quatre explained to Heero. "Duo's not allowed to use electronic equipment by himself for a month and promises not to take things apart without asking permission first. If he keeps his promise then we'll let him use things like the video player and the microwave again--"  
  
Heero looked over to the microwave. Come to think of it, it was a slightly newer model than the one that had used to be there previously. "What happened to the microwave?"  
  
"You know how the always tell you that you can't put metal stuff in microwaves but never tell you why?" Duo said enthusiastically.  
  
"Now we know why," Wufei said dryly.  
  
"Hey!" Duo protested. "It was an experiment."  
  
"No more experiments, please," Quatre said with a groan.  
  
"So can I watch my video?"  
  
"Sure," Heero said, collecting some very nasty looks from Wufei and Quatre as he stood. "I'll put it on for you." As Duo took his video into the lounge, Heero faced the other pilots. "What is so bad about 'The Sound of Music'?"  
  
"Wait until the ninth time you've watched it," Wufei said darkly as he followed Quatre out to the hangar.  
  
Heero shrugged and went into the lounge. Duo was putting the video into the slot.  
  
"See? I'm touching the video, not the video player," he said. "That's allowed."  
  
"I see," Heero said. He turned the video on and fast forwarded through the previews. "What happened to the microwave?"  
  
"It blew up," Duo grinned. "It was really cool. Trowa had to come in with the fire extinguisher."  
  
The movie started then, Duo staring at the screen in rapt attention. Heero settled back to watch, bemused about what the child could find so intriguing in it--there were no mobile suits, no humorous cartoon animals--  
  
Duo knew every line of dialogue, Heero soon discovered, and every song too. It was rather endearing, the way his lips moved as the characters talked, and the fact that he seemed to have forgotten he considered Heero the enemy- -  
  
Duo sighed happily as the Von Trapp family made their escape into safety. "Can I watch it again?"  
  
"But--it only just finished," Heero said.  
  
"I want to see it again," Duo said. "Just the start? Please?"  
  
Heero could see what Wufei and Quatre were concerned about. "What is it about the movie you like so much?" he asked.  
  
Duo shrugged.  
  
Heero sighed and again the nuns wondered how do you solve a problem like Maria? He really didn't see the attraction. Sure it was a nice enough story, but parts of it were cloying and he didn't quite see why they had to sing all the time--  
  
Like now. If you have a problem with someone, you didn't sing a song about it. If people did, well, Heero would be out a job for one thing, and people would have lost their voices years ago--  
  
Heero shot a glance at the child totally absorbed in the film, twisting his braid as he watched. At least he was enjoying it--  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
Duo--his Duo--played with his braid only when upset. Heero took a closer look at the child and saw that his face was clouded.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Duo blinked at him. "I was just thinking," he said. "Sister Helen used to fuss like that when I did anything."  
  
"You miss her?" Heero asked, a sinking feeling curling in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"I worry about her," Duo said tugging at his braid. "Sometimes the younger kids act up and she has a hard time if I'm not there to help her out." The kid looked at him suddenly. "Hey, you think I'll get to see them again?"  
  
Heero looked at him. In his mind was the newspaper report of the Maxwell Church massacre.  
  
"I have to go check on Wing."  
  
Tbc. 


	5. five.

Mission Implausible 5.  
  
Two days later preparations were almost complete. The pilots had decided that they would tell Duo of their plans tonight. It was not something they were looking forward to.  
  
It did not go well.  
  
There were tears, pouts, pleading and sulking--and that was just from Quatre. Duo behaved a lot worse.  
  
"But why won't you take me with you?" he wailed, clinging to Quatre. "Did I do something wrong? Do you not like me anymore? I'm sorry about the freezer- -that was an accident--"  
  
"The freezer?" Heero asked.  
  
Wufei detached the child from Quatre before the blond pilot could give in. "Think about this," he said to Duo, trying to calm him. "We can't take a child into a war zone. It's far too dangerous."  
  
"I'll be really, really good," Duo said. "I promise."  
  
To Heero and Quatre's considerable surprise, Wufei hugged him. "I know you would, but that's not the issue. No matter how well behaved you were, you would still be in danger if you came with us. Now, we've found a friend of ours who is happy to take care of you until we come back and--"  
  
"If you don't want me anymore you could just say so," the kid said, pulling away from Wufei resentfully. "You don't have to lie to me."  
  
"Wufei doesn't lie," Heero said. "We're going to come back for you."  
  
"Whatever," Duo said. "Like I haven't heard that before."  
  
"Duo," Quatre pleaded. "We care about you a lot. That's why we want you to stay behind where it's safe--"  
  
"If you cared about me you wouldn't be leaving me!" Duo screamed at them. "I hate you all!"  
  
He ran to his room.  
  
"Oh dear," Quatre said. "Maybe we should--"  
  
"NO," Wufei and Heero said in unison.  
  
"He'll be fine with Howard," Wufei said. "He seems very capable."  
  
Heero was worried about something else. "Do either of you know anything about the freezer?"  
  
The basement was under twenty centimetres of water.  
  
"Oh dear," Quatre said. "It's too late to call a plumber now."  
  
"Leave it," Heero said. "There's nothing important down here."  
  
They went back to the kitchen where Wufei was sitting with the Wind in the Willows. "He doesn't want a bedtime story," Wufei said. "He's really upset by this."  
  
Quatre nodded unhappily. "I hate leaving him like this, but what can we do? The operation needs all of us--"  
  
Heero was silent. Was his Duo out there, waiting for them to find him? Did he feel equally abandoned?  
  
None of them slept well that night.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Wufei had been given the task of taking Duo to Howard's. Heero had been ruled out on the grounds of Duo not liking him, and Quatre because neither Heero nor Wufei thought they could trust him not to give in to the child and let him stay.  
  
Duo sat on his bed maintaining a sulky silence as the pilots packed an overnight bag for him. While Wufei chose his clothes and Quatre agonised over what toys to include, Heero filled a box from the pantry with canned food in the hopes that it would make Duo feel better.  
  
He ignored Quatre and Heero when they said goodbye to him, and didn't even look enthused at the prospect of riding on the back of Wufei's motorbike.  
  
He was silent throughout the stringent safety check Wufei did of his bike, and through having a helmet buckled on him. "Everything all right?" Wufei asked him as he settled Duo on the bike.  
  
"No."  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes. "You're behaving like an onna."  
  
"Good."  
  
The ride to the docks where Howard was waiting went smoothly. Wufei parked the motorbike then lifted the child down. "Howard will be around here somewhere," he said. "I'm sure you'll like him, even if he has no dress sense."  
  
"Spare me, Wufei. You're abandoning me," Duo said coldly. "Don't try and be nice."  
  
Wufei knelt by the child. "Is that what you think? We brought you here to abandon you?"  
  
"It's not like it hasn't been done before," Duo said.  
  
Wufei was thrown. Duo's jaw was set, he didn't think it would be any use trying to reason with him. Just as Pilot 02 was stubborn, once Duo made up his mind, very little would persuade him to change it.  
  
Fortunately Wufei had an idea. He went back to the motorbike. He had a bag packed with his own essential travel items, Quatre and Heero taking the rest of his stuff with them. This bag he brought hack to Duo.  
  
"It would be useless to try and argue with you," he said. "So instead I'm going to prove to you that we're coming back to get you." He drew his prized katana blade from his pack. "You see this sword?"  
  
Duo rolled his eyes. "Yes."  
  
"This was given to me by my father. It belonged to his father, who got it from his father and so on. It is irreplaceable." Wufei held it out to Duo. "Take it."  
  
Duo stared at him. "You're not giving this to me?"  
  
"You are correct," Wufei said. "I'm not. However, I will offer it to you as security. I'm going to trust you to look after it until I return to get it and you."  
  
"Seriously?" Duo asked, taking the sword at Wufei's nod. "Man, Wufei--"  
  
"Just don't try using it as a can-opener or anything? And don't drop it. And don't hurt yourself with it--and above all else don't--" Wufei fell silent as Duo took his hand. They were friends again.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Howard walked into the dock, scanning the lounges. They'd agreed to meet in the part of the building set aside for the passenger craft. Ah, there was Wufei, watching as a flock of seagulls were fed chips by a child who looked an awful lot like--  
  
Howard raised his sunglasses, but the apparition didn't go away.  
  
So was he going crazy in his old age or what?  
  
The kid spun around, running back to Wufei. The Chinese pilot shook his head and pointed and the child ran off in the specified direction. Howard replaced his glasses and walked over to Wufei. He hadn't imagined the kid. Which meant--  
  
He didn't know what that meant.  
  
"So," he drawled once close enough to Wufei. "They cloning you pilots now?"  
  
Wufei shook his head. "It's a long story. The child has not been told how much he looks like Duo, and you and your crew must not inform him."  
  
Howard whistled. "That's going to be hard. From what I saw, even at a distance the kid's the spitting image of him."  
  
"He's rather more than that," Wufei sighed. "Let's just say scientists and alternate universes do not mix, and leave it at that, shall we?"  
  
Howard raised an eyebrow but didn't get a chance to comment further. The kid was back.  
  
"I found the rubbish bin" he announced then spotted Howard. "Is that--?"  
  
"This is Howard," Wufei said. "He has very kindly agreed to let you stay with him while we complete our mission."  
  
"Hi," Duo said. "What happened to your hai--"  
  
Wufei slipped a hand over Duo's mouth. "He's a little shy around strangers," he said. "You'll take good care of him."  
  
Howard looked from Wufei to Duo, struggling to free himself and raised an eyebrow. "You got all your stuff?"  
  
"He has his backpack and this." Wufei handed the box to Howard. "I'm afraid I must leave you now, Duo. Take care and behave well for Howard."  
  
Duo nodded. "You'll be back soon, right?"  
  
"As soon as we can." Wufei bowed good-bye to Duo and Howard and left.  
  
Duo watched him until he disappeared among the crowds of people.  
  
Howard was investigating the contents of Duo's box. "Canned food? Why'd they give you canned food? And who needs five cans of creamed corn anyway?"  
  
"Quatre says it's important for me to eat my vegetables," Duo said, his voice wobbling. Although he believed Wufei it was very hard not to feel worried as he was left with a stranger for who knew how long.  
  
Howard snorted. "Vegetables, hah! Real men don't need vegetables--hang with us kid, we'll put you right."  
  
Duo ventured a smile. Maybe Howard would not be so bad.  
  
--oOo--  
  
"It will be another hour before Trowa arrives for the rendezvous," Quatre noted that evening. "Until then--well we can order something or go somewhere else and come back."  
  
Heero shrugged. "Up to you." Although the pub was a little too noisy for his tastes it was a lot warmer than it was outside. It was also where Trowa would be, and there was the chance that he might arrive early.  
  
"You know--I might phone Howard. We've got the time--and I do hope Duo is settling in okay."  
  
"Good idea," Heero said. It would be well to take advantage of the anonymity of the pub's phone while they could.  
  
He watched as Quatre dialled. "Hi Howard, is Duo around? Hi Duo--how are you?"  
  
Heero paused. There was something ever so slightly wrong--something just out of place--  
  
"That's good. So what have you been doing?"  
  
He scanned the bar. Most of the patrons seemed to be engrossed in their own activities, chatting or watching the TV screen but one--one was watching him.  
  
"That sounds rather dangerous. Are you sure Howard's okay with that?"  
  
He was an older man, grizzled and dour looking, thumbing a well-worn photo. He tucked the photo away as he approached Heero and sat down at the table opposite him.  
  
"Maybe I should speak with Howard--"  
  
They eyed each other a long moment, then the man broke the silence.  
  
"Can I buy you a drink?"  
  
"I don't drink," Heero said.  
  
To his surprise the man chuckled. "Didn't think you would. That's what he said."  
  
"He?" Heero frowned.  
  
"I met him a few months ago--don't know when exactly, I don't keep track. He needed a favour, knew I held a grudge against OZ--well, we came to an arrangement. I have some rather important cargo, cargo that OZ would love to get their hands on. He said to deliver it to nobody but him or the person who could give me the other half of this photo."  
  
He put it face up on the table.  
  
Heero knew the photo instantly. It's been taken from an assignment that had required both Duo and him to infiltrate an OZ function--both wore tuxes. Duo had said this was an occasion they couldn't let pass unnoticed. Photo- Heero was remarkably not scowling--he looked quietly satisfied.  
  
The reason for this was made clear as he brought the other half of the photo from his pocket. Duo, his arm looped through Heero's grinned at the camera. He couldn't remember now what Duo had said, only the feeling of warmth it had provoked in him--the same feeling as when, the next time he'd had to leave on a solo mission, Duo had presented him with his half of the photo. "We'll each keep a part," he said. "So you know that I'm thinking of you, and so you can look at it and think of me."  
  
"That's him all right," the man said with satisfaction. "Get your friend and we'll go."  
  
Heero went over to Quatre. "We need to leave."  
  
Quatre nodded. "We'll talk about this later," he told Howard. "What is it?" he asked Heero as he hung up. Heero jerked a thumb towards the older man.  
  
"He has something of Duo's."  
  
Quatre's eyes widened. "Let's go."  
  
The man led them out of the pub, down a couple of streets. "No names," he said. "Better that way. You can't betray what you don't know."  
  
"Did our … colleague give you any information?" Quatre asked as he and Heero followed.  
  
"Said he needed to go underground for a while, had some stuff he couldn't take with him. He knew about my daughter--asked me if I wanted a chance to really piss off OZ. How could I refuse?"  
  
Heero caught Quatre's eye and nodded. That certainly sounded like Duo. But what would he have left?  
  
"Here we go," the man said. "One of my warehouses. I run a freighting business. When OZ moved into the area they wanted me to do a contract for 'em. Didn't get a chance to say no. Then one of the bastards roughed up my daughter. What can you do? Police have been disbanded, not a court around who will accept a case against OZ--afraid." He waved them inside. "This is under my brother's name, OZ doesn't know about it. So--" He hit a light.  
  
The place was bare apart from a pile of crates in one corner that almost reached the ceiling. Heero tried to hide his disappointment. He'd hoped that Duo might have hidden himself here--  
  
"What's in the crates?"  
  
The man smirked, patting one of them. "You see here, gentlemen, about three hundred crates of pocky."  
  
"Pocky?" Quatre asked, confused.  
  
Heero, who knew what pocky was, and knew Duo, sighed. "He asked you to guard pocky?"  
  
"Naw, the question you should have asked is not what is in the crates, it's what is under them." The man smirked and stood back.  
  
Exchanging glances, Heero and Quatre stepped forward and lifted a box out of the way. Beneath it a black metallic surface gleamed.  
  
"Deathscythe?"  
  
"I didn't hear that." The man turned his back. "I don't know about anything other than the pocky."  
  
"Is there anything else?"  
  
"Nothing at all to my knowledge," the man shrugged. "He hasn't contacted you?"  
  
"Not recently," Heero said. He nodded to the man. "I'll organise someone to collect this in about a week or so. Will it be all right till then?"  
  
"Not a problem," the man said shutting the door as the pilots filed out.  
  
Quatre and Heero walked back to the pub in silence.  
  
As they neared the building, the Arabian pilot asked "Are you okay, Heero?"  
  
Heero grunted in the affirmative. His mind was already racing through the possibilities. Duo had been here--  
  
Duo had been here.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Howard groaned, burying his head under the pillow and trying to regain his sleep, but the beeping of the monitor would not go away. Throwing his pillow at it did not help. Mumbling something rude, Howard hit the on button.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've completed our mission," Heero said, appearing on screen.  
  
Howard was not impressed. "You woke me up at six in the morning to tell me that?"  
  
Quatre pushed Heero out of the way. "Actually we woke you up to tell you that we would be arriving, soon. Where are you?"  
  
"We left port two days ago, we're currently anchored off the coast of Japan. You want the co-ordinates?" Howard asked, smothering a yawn.  
  
"That would be great." Quatre took them. "We'll be there in about half an hour--we're travelling by shuttle. Oh," he added as an after thought. "Tell your men not to be surprised when a shuttle bearing OZ insignia lands, okay?"  
  
Howard was too tired to even raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. Now let me get some sleep."  
  
Half an hour later, still yawning, Howard watched as the pilots disembarked from a shuttle that did indeed bear OZ insignia. "You pilots sure get around," he commented.  
  
"We thought you might like it," Quatre said. "You can take it apart for its parts--payment for the mobile suits parts."  
  
"Aw, you don't need to do that," Howard said. "I don't need nothing--"  
  
"You've done us a great service by minding Duo," Wufei said. "Allow us to make this gesture of our appreciation."  
  
"The little tyke's a pleasure to have around," Howard said. "Anytime you guys need a bunk for him, he's welcome here."  
  
"How is he?" Heero demanded abruptly and Trowa nodded.  
  
"Sleeping. He won't be up until breakfast is served--ya wanna check on him?" Howard was rather surprised as all four pilots nodded. "This way."  
  
The pilots filed silently after Howard as he led them through the Sweepers' sleeping quarters. Only Heero had seen them before, and the bunks and their occupants were pretty much the same as when his-Duo had been staying with them.  
  
"We set him up a little corner of his own, so the guys wouldn't disturb him when they change shifts," Howard said, leading them to a corner that was partly screened from the rest of the dormitory by a partition. A hammock had been hung up, and within it, curled in a nest of blankets, Duo was sound asleep.  
  
"Aw--ain't he cute?" Howard observed. "At least till he wakes up."  
  
The pilots were silent, busily scanning Duo for signs of ill treatment of injury. Not that they didn't trust Howard--but some habits were hard to break.  
  
Duo's belongings were untidily spread out around the hammock. On a bench that was being used as a shelf, stood a few of Duo's toys, some unidentifiable mechanical bits, and a radio that was blaring away quietly.  
  
Wufei reached out to turn it off automatically but Howard stopped him.  
  
"Leave it."  
  
"But won't it disturb him?"  
  
"Other way round," Howard said quietly, leading the pilots away from the sleeping child. "See," he said, once they were in the corridor, "When Duo-- Shinigami-Duo--first turned up he had real problems sleeping unless he knew there were other people around. Used to give us all sorts of problems, eventually started dragging his sleeping gear into the bridge to sleep there. We figured it out over time--he can't sleep unless he knows he's not alone. So we started putting the radio on in his room and letting him fall asleep to it--problem solved."  
  
"I should have thought of that--" Quatre said. "I should have picked up on-- "  
  
Heero interrupted Pilot 04's latest angst attack with a demand. "Where's the nearest computer port?"  
  
Howard pointed and watched as Heero marched off with laptop in that direction. "Does he never relax?"  
  
"We found a lead to finding Duo," Trowa explained. "Heero's determined to follow it up."  
  
Howard was no longer surprised. "What say the rest of you tell me about this over breakfast?"  
  
They were still at breakfast when Duo turned up. "You're back!" he announced at full volume, throwing himself bodily at Quatre. The blond laughed as he hugged Duo.  
  
"Yes, we are--how are you?"  
  
Duo beamed at him. His hair was neatly brushed back and plaited, beneath a black cap. Although he was wearing a pair of shorts that Quatre had bought him, he wore a singlet top that was far too big for him. Despite the way it hung off his skinny frame, Duo wore it with obvious pride. "I'm an honorary Sweeper! See my cap? And I was allowed to help take apart a mobile doll-- look at my bruise? Isn't it cool? I fell off the--"  
  
Wufei smiled as he put a plate in front of the child. "You can slow down, you know. We're not going anywhere."  
  
"Hey, where's Heero?" Duo wondered.  
  
"He's here. He has some stuff to take care of," Trowa replied.  
  
"Oh, okay," Duo sat down to eat happily. "I got an even cooler bruise but that's kinda faded now. What did you do?"  
  
"Oh, stuff," Quatre said vaguely. "We stopped OZ from sending a lot more weapons into space."  
  
"Good," Duo said viciously. "Did I tell you that Jake took me for a ride in a Cancer?"  
  
The pilots had enough time for Duo to take them on a guided tour of the Sweepers' ship before they left. Holding on tightly to Wufei and Quatre's hands, while Trowa watched amused, Duo showed them the bridge and workshop, telling them all his adventures as he did so.  
  
He had been busy. There did not seem to be a member of Howard's crew, a mobile suit or a piece of machinery he was not personally acquainted with, or a part of the ship he hadn't explored, played in, or fallen off.  
  
In fact, they had a hard time getting Duo to leave until they promised that he could see Howard and the guys again next time they had a visit.  
  
"Quite a turn around, don't you think?" Quatre said to Wufei with a smile as they gathered Duo's belongings. Trowa was watching with awe as the child insisted on saying goodbye to every member of the crew in person.  
  
"He shows great adaptability," Wufei agreed. He'd just found his sword--in perfect condition.  
  
"Now," Quatre said. "Do you want to try and detach Heero from his computer, or should I?"  
  
--oOo--  
  
"Really? You're not just saying that to make me eat my vegetables?"  
  
"No, we don't mind watching the Sound of Music with you, after tea," Quatre told him, smiling. It was so like Duo to expect a catch--  
  
Duo grinned. "All right!"  
  
"But you have to eat your vegetables anyway," Wufei told him.  
  
Duo looked at his plate then at Wufei. "Howard said only girls eat vegetables."  
  
The meaning in his tone was clear.  
  
Wufei put his fork down. "So eating vegetables makes you an onna?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Wufei made a big show of checking his hearing. "Pardon me, but did I just hear you insult Barton and Yuy and me?" He pointed towards them with a fork. "Barton just got second helpings of peas and Yuy always eats what is put in front of him."  
  
Duo cast a look across the table. Wufei he could take on. But Trowa and Heero …  
  
Trowa blinked at him, Heero frowned. They were both somewhat surprised to find themselves put in the 'threat' category. They were even more surprised when Duo started eating his greens.  
  
"I'm done," he announced, hurriedly. "Can I go to the bathroom?"  
  
"Swallow," Wufei said "Then you can go."  
  
Duo pouted. How come Wufei knew all his ploys? He swallowed the last mouthful of veggies, then went to the bathroom where he made a big show of brushing his teeth.  
  
Unfortunately the display was wasted on the pilots who had more pressing matters to concern them.  
  
"What was that about?" Trowa asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You made it sound like we were scary," Trowa said. "I resent that."  
  
Heero had a feeling he couldn't say anything. "Hn."  
  
Quatre was sulking. "What I don't understand is why you didn't mention me."  
  
No-one commented.  
  
Quatre's eyes watered. "You guys are mean!" he whimpered. "I can't believe you would--food fight!"  
  
"Wha--" said Wufei as Quatre threw his broccoli at him. "Injustice! This means war, Winner!"  
  
When Duo returned to the kitchen it was to find Quatre, still giggling weakly as he helped Heero get the potato off the ceiling while Wufei and Trowa wiped all available surfaces. He looked pointedly at the pilots. "You done playing with your food? Cause I have a video I want to watch."  
  
It was one of those moments loved by photo companies. Duo sprawled on the couch between Quatre sitting on Trowa's lap, and Wufei, polishing his sword. Heero, his laptop in his room, sat on the floor. The movie was watched in companionable silence and interrupted only so Quatre could fetch hot chocolate and biscuits.  
  
"We ought to do this more often," Quatre said.  
  
"Watching videos?"  
  
"No, spending time together. Like a family."  
  
Were they a family? Heero wondered. He had no experience with one--  
  
"Can we watch it again?" Duo asked hopefully.  
  
"No!" all four pilots said at once.  
  
Duo pouted, and went to unpack his things.  
  
Trowa stretched as Quatre began gathering mugs. Heero saw that Wufei was putting away his sword and decided that if he wanted to ask, now would be the time, before the others dispersed.  
  
"Quatre--how much did you mean that?"  
  
"Mean what?"  
  
"The family comment." Heero kept his features set, betraying nothing of his uncertainty.  
  
"Well--a child does need a stable home--and I'm very attached to you all. I guess I thought--" Quatre trailed off awkwardly, not encouraged by Heero's blank expression.  
  
"I think of you other pilots as, if not family, something more than friends," Wufei said. "At any rate, you're more like family than anything I have left."  
  
Trowa squeezed Quatre. "You know about this than I do," he said simply. "I'll follow your lead on this."  
  
Quatre smiled. "Heero?"  
  
"I've never had a family," Heero said. "I don't know how to act in one. I'll let you down--"  
  
"Don't be silly, Yuy," Wufei told him. "You've done great with Duo--"  
  
"I still don't know," Heero said. "I need to think."  
  
He went to the bedroom, mind churning with everything he knew--or thought he knew about families. J hadn't seen fit to include them in his training--  
  
Maybe a quick computer search would help?  
  
Heero opened his laptop--and paused. He'd left it on--but not on the page it was now. His earlier search had been erased.  
  
Someone had used it? Not the pilots--they'd been in the lounge. So that left--  
  
Heero had a data log running that recorded whatever activity his laptop did. His internet history pages had been accessed, flicked through at random--Heero followed up the pages. It appeared to be done at random. Duo, getting curious perhaps?  
  
Heero flicked through the pages, scanning them for restricted information. Although he'd been searching for his-Duo, the search terms used were general, not likely to mean much to the kid. Then Heero hit the last link.  
  
The page that appeared in the browser was the one that Heero least hoped to see.  
  
"Maxwell Church--one survivor." 


	6. six

Mission: Implausible 6.  
  
It had been nice, Duo thought. He didn't even mind that they hadn't let him watch the movie twice. They'd all been together--hell, they'd come back for him. Howard had been cool an' all, but the pilots--  
  
He was beginning to think the pilots were something special.  
  
He pulled out his toys from the backpack. The transformers were his favourite, some of them kinda looked like Mobile Suits, and with a bit of imagination could be a Heavyarms or a Shenlong. He dumped his clothes on the bed, and set about pulling his acquisitions from them.  
  
It was a pretty good haul all told. Some more bits of handy wire. A couple of bits from a mobile suit, a few rounds of some sort of ammunition (he thought they were full) and, best of all, a small magnifying glass.  
  
He'd have to hide them now, while the pilots were still in the lounge.  
  
He paused at the door to listen.  
  
They seemed likely to be busy awhile.  
  
Duo left with a smile.  
  
A family--he'd never had one of those. It sounded like it might be cool.  
  
At any rate, that should keep them busy for long enough for him to add his possessions to those in the little locked cupboard.  
  
He stole into Heero and Wufei's room quietly. The cupboard was there--but-- he paused.  
  
So was Heero's laptop.  
  
Laptop. Cupboard. Laptop. Cupboard. Geez, it was a tough decision. In the end he decided to go for the laptop--Heero was so careful with it, it must have something good on it.  
  
He was disappointed when he noticed it was nothing but some sort of search pattern. A list of all hospitals and airports in the area they'd just left, a list of shipping companies with a subsearch on 'pocky'--whatever that was- -and a list of all news reports dating from the last six months.  
  
Duo looked at them but quickly dismissed them as boring. He clicked on a couple of other sites in the history, just a quick check that Heero didn't have a link to an organ-farming site or something--  
  
Maxwell?  
  
The name was familiar--wasn't that the name of the lost pilot?  
  
Duo clicked the link curiously. He'd been wondering what the last pilot might be like--apart from having obviously good taste in hair--  
  
What he found--  
  
Maxwell Church Massacre. Maxwell Church--his home. His first thought was that had to be a mistake because no way would Father Maxwell let anything like this happen, not him--  
  
But there was the picture underneath the headline with the too familiar walls crumbled and smoke and the emergency crews and the body bags--  
  
It just couldn't have happened, Duo told himself. It couldn't, it couldn't--  
  
It could.  
  
He'd seen it before--never this bad but he'd seen it. Death, cruelty, meted out with no distinction between those that deserved better and those that didn't.  
  
He shouldn't have left them. If he'd been there, there could have been something he could have done--something--  
  
But Heero had gone and taken him, he'd had no say.  
  
Had--had Heero something to do with this?  
  
The pilots--they'd had that mission, they'd been gone--is this why they wanted him out of the way?  
  
"No!" he said, protesting against the very thought. "They're not the kind of people who would do that! They like kids--they like me--"  
  
But Heero had kidnapped him. And threatened to break his arm too.  
  
"No!" Duo tried to unthink that thought but it was too late. The pilots were dangerous--He tried to choke back a sob. He had to think about this carefully. Logically. Like Wufei had taught him.  
  
So, Heero knew about this. That didn't necessarily mean anything--except you'd think he'd have said something. So that was definitely suspicious. But that didn't mean the others were involved. He'd look at the dates and see when it--he didn't want to think about that.  
  
Trying to act braver and not quite succeeding, Duo looked at the laptop again. This made no sense--the dates--  
  
"But the church couldn't have been blown up five years ago," he said. "I was just there--"  
  
A noise coming down the hallway. Duo closed the browser window and took what cover he could. He hunched down, slipping his braid into his mouth--he would not be heard this time.  
  
Heero entered, not looking right or left but going straight to his lap-top. Duo swallowed--he could only hope that Heero wouldn't notice that he'd been using it. He looked wistfully towards the door. There was no chance of making a break for it, none at all--  
  
A frown creased Heero's face. He must know--  
  
Duo waited, afraid to breathe.  
  
He saw Heero's face go pale. There was a long time and Heero did not do anything. He just sat there--frozen.  
  
Despite his best efforts, a shaky sob escaped Duo. He was really afraid now. The only time he'd seen someone look so terrible, was just before Solo had died--  
  
"Who's there?" Heero said at once, standing. "Duo? Duo, are you here?"  
  
Don't make a sound, not a sound, not a sound--Duo shut his eyes, trying desperately not to wail. At any moment now Heero would round on him and--  
  
"Shimatta," Heero hissed, hurrying with the laptop into the lounge room.  
  
He hadn't found him.  
  
Duo uncurled. Incredible! Heero didn't know where he was.  
  
He could hear the sounds of the other pilots in the lounge. Heero was probably telling them what had happened. He didn't have long then.  
  
Lucky he'd planned for this kind of thing. Duo retrieved the toolkit from under the bed and selected those needed to open the window as noiselessly as possible. By wrapping the window lock in a pillow case he managed to muffle the sound somewhat--it still wasn't enough. The computer chair was jammed under the door handle.  
  
Just in time.  
  
"Duo? Are you in there?" Quatre, sounding upset. "Please come out."  
  
As if he was listening to them again.  
  
Duo gave the lock one last hit and was rewarded with the window coming loose. He clambered out of the window as Wufei tried.  
  
"Duo! If you don't open the door we will break it down."  
  
Go ahead, Duo thought as he scrambled up onto the roof. It's your house, after all. As noiselessly as he could he made his way over to the chimney, and lay down flat behind it. Hopefully they wouldn't think to look on the roof--  
  
There was a crash. Wufei, it seemed, had made good his promise.  
  
"He's gone!"  
  
"He can't have gone far--he's had, what, five minutes?" Wufei taking charge. "I'll take this direction, Yuy, you take the other."  
  
"Acknowledged."  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
"You're the one with the space-heart, Quatre. I'd suggest using it."  
  
Duo saw the tips of Heero and Wufei's heads as they headed out to look for him. He crossed his fingers and waited. Hopefully they would assume that he would run rather than hide--  
  
Trowa's voice broke the silence suddenly. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Oh, I hope they find him," Quatre said miserably. "Trowa--"  
  
"It's okay. They'll find him, you'll see--he can't have gone far."  
  
"But Trowa--even if they do find him, I'm so afraid. I can pick up some of his emotions--not enough to pinpoint his location, everyone else's worry is getting in the way--but he doesn't trust us."  
  
"We shouldn't have listened to the scientists," Trowa said. "Come on, I'm going to get Heavyarms out. It will be twilight soon, and if he isn't found, we're going to need the Gundams' heat-sensors."  
  
"Be careful," Quatre said. "If a Gundam is spotted--"  
  
Trowa's ironic response came from further back in the room, apparently he was going. "You know, I have done this before, Quatre."  
  
Duo guessed he was gone. Quatre lingered by the window for several long moments more, looking out into the deepening twilight. "Duo--come back to us, please," he whispered, before following Trowa.  
  
Duo gave them a couple of minutes to get out of hearing range than swung himself back inside the room. Heero's bed creaked as he landed on it, but no one seemed to have heard the slight noise.  
  
Duo retrieved his tools from the floor and paused by the little cupboard. He really didn't have time but--  
  
He hurried back to his room with a slightly larger load. The backpack was still on his bead, his clothes not yet unpacked. Duo dumped the toys on the floor, packing the bag instead with his tools and other acquisitions. After a few seconds of thought he picked up 'A Tale of Two Cities' from another of his secret hiding places, and added it to the pack. As a final touch he took his coat and gloves from the closet. He was now ready to go. Duo tiptoed into the corridor silently.  
  
The door to Quatre and Trowa's room was slightly ajar. Through the crack in the door he noticed Quatre's wallet unattended on the bed; this he helped himself to as a matter of course. Not that he liked taking money from Quatre, but he needed it more. Adults could always get more money, but it was next to impossible for kids to get it. Duo slunk through the house on the lookout for the remaining two pilots.  
  
He had a close shave when he entered the hangar, almost running into Quatre's back. The blond pilot was watching as Trowa set off in Heavyarms, confident of remaining undetected now that it was night.  
  
Hunched up in a temporary hiding place behind a crate, Duo watched Quatre sigh as Trowa disappeared and then went back to the kitchen.  
  
Now what?  
  
Duo hadn't thought this far. He had a vague feeling he should get back to L2 but not much idea of how to do this. Maybe he could hide in the hangar and get a lift on a vehicle next time one of the pilots went out? It was risky--especially if they realised there was a possibility of him hiding out in the property.  
  
He didn't really want to walk into the city--didn't even know which way to walk. And if he did that there was always the chance of him ending up running into Wufei or Heero.  
  
So that left what? Stealing a Gundam? Duo snorted, with his luck, he'd crash into something. But wait a minute--Quatre kept the keys to the Ute in his wallet--  
  
Duo grinned.  
  
He was so outta here.  
  
--oOo--  
  
It had gotten so dark by now that Wufei couldn't see the outline of his hand stretched in front of him distinctly, let alone spot Duo. There was nothing else to be done but to return to the safehouse and retrieve torches.  
  
He walked back as quickly as he could, gathering Yuy along the way. Neither of them talked much, they were too tense. Duo had run from them, now he was missing.  
  
Heavyarms continued to search the fields. That was something at least, Wufei decided.  
  
As they neared the house, the jeep suddenly roared out of the hangar, weaving wildly as it went down the road. Heero stopped walking to regard it solemnly.  
  
"Quatre must be upset," Wufei said. "He doesn't drive like that."  
  
"I wonder where he's going in such a hurry at a time like this," Heero said, grimly.  
  
Had he perhaps heard something on the radio? Had Duo gone farther than they'd realised? He was a child--but if he'd got to the road--someone might have given him a lift--  
  
Wufei hurried to the safehouse.  
  
There was no note of explanation of the kitchen table, nothing. Most unlike Quatre.  
  
While Wufei had a quick look around the living room in case they'd missed something, Heero went to the hangar. His startled exclamation called Wufei after him a moment later.  
  
A pile of boxes had toppled over. Beneath them lay a limp form --Quatre.  
  
Heero knelt by the still pilot.  
  
"Is he--" Wufei swallowed.  
  
Quatre groaned, satisfying that worry.  
  
"He's okay," Heero said. "Help me shift these--"  
  
The boxes were hurriedly pushed aside. Between the two of them, they managed to get Quatre inside. He was regaining consciousness steadily, but still stunned.  
  
"What happened?" Wufei asked, once they had the blond settled on the sofa, and he judged he was coherent enough.  
  
"Ow … I heard a noise … in the hangar. Trowa had just left and I thought he might have forgotten something … then the crates just toppled over."  
  
"You're lucky you weren't more seriously hurt," Wufei told him. "Be more careful, Winner, in a situation like this, we can't have you getting hurt too--"  
  
"Wait," Heero said. "If Quatre is here, then who took the Ute?"  
  
The pilots stared at each other.  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
"Does he even know how to drive?"  
  
"We have to find him," Heero said. He hesitated momentarily as he looked at Quatre, still pale.  
  
"I'll be fine," Quatre told them. "Go."  
  
Wufei nodded, grabbing the keys to his motorbike. "Come on Yuy."  
  
--oOo--  
  
Duo grinned as the Ute lurched to a stop. Geez, from the way the big people carried on about driving you'd think it was hard. Of course, Jake letting him have a go at the Cancer's controls hadn't hurt any.  
  
Well, now he'd stopped. Now what?  
  
You usually took the keys out. Now, where was the off switch?  
  
Nothing doing. Duo's brow furrowed as he tried to figure it out. If he didn't turn it off, the petrol would be wasted--then he glanced round his surroundings and shrugged. Neighbourhood like this, it would be stolen in five minutes.  
  
Which was all for the further good. Duo slipped out of the truck, holding tightly to his bag and melted into the shadows without any further ado. Now, to get to the spaceport. There was a sign up ahead, just what he wanted …  
  
As he tried to make out the letters in the darkness he heard the screech of tyres behind him. Less than two minutes. He was impressed.  
  
Duo had a pretty good sense of direction and an even better memory. He and Wufei had passed the spaceport on their trip to meet Howard, and that was enough to enable him to find his way there, even in the dark. Small and insignificant, he slipped relatively unnoticed through deserted streets.  
  
The perimeter fence surrounding the spaceport did give him some trouble. Barbed wire, nasty. With the help of a tree he made it over with only a few scratches and a bruise from the landing on the other side. Duo groaned as he picked himself up. He was getting soft, he was. That was the problem with living with the pilots--  
  
He wasn't thinking about that.  
  
Now what? It was dark and there were no flights--Duo yawned. The exhilaration that had sustained so far was beginning to ebb--time to turn in.  
  
A hangar gave shelter and a couple of boxes were cover. Duo managed to find a pile of sacks that made a bearable nest. He nestled in amongst them, thinking wistfully of his room with the open door--at least he'd felt safe there--  
  
A frown creased his forehead. He felt bad about Quatre--who after all, had been kind and patient and never yelled at him--he'd had to stop him from chasing after him somehow though. He hoped he was all right.  
  
What was he thinking? Quatre was the enemy. They all were--  
  
All.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Quatre and Trowa sat at the kitchen table, a slowly cooling mug of tea in front of them. Quatre picked up his mug, swirled it around and put it down again.  
  
"Do you think he--"  
  
"No," said Trowa.  
  
"What if he--"  
  
"No."  
  
"But he's--"  
  
"A very capable young man. He'll be fine." Trowa said. This conversation had continued over the same lines for quite some time now with neither feeling much comforted by it.  
  
Quatre sighed then stood as the Ute was heard pulling into the hangar, followed by Wufei's motorbike. This in turn was followed by the sounds of a crate splintering.  
  
"Heero," Quatre said, rubbing his temples. "Oh dear."  
  
"That doesn't sound like they found him," Trowa said, just as Wufei entered.  
  
"No luck," the Chinese pilot admitted softly. "We tracked down the Ute only to find it was being driven by some kid who thought joyriding might be fun. Yuy managed to scare out of him the place where he found the car, but by the time we got back there--" he shook his head. "He could be anywhere."  
  
There was another crash from the hangar. No one said anything. Better to have Heero vent his anger on the crates then on them.  
  
"We can't give up," Quatre said. "We'll have to expand operations. I'll call the Manguanacs, and start drawing up plans for a neighbourhood by neighbourhood search--"  
  
Wufei nodded. "Do either of you know what Duo saw on Yuy's laptop that upset him? He refused to tell me anything about it."  
  
"I've got an idea that it relates to Duo--pilot Duo's--childhood," Quatre said.  
  
Wufei nodded. "I might go to L2 see if I can't work out what it was. It may be useful."  
  
"It's a good idea," Quatre said. "At any rate, we can't all of us risk the exposure to the public that a thorough search for Duo will occasion. I think it best if I remain here to co-ordinate the search while the rest of you head out, to take care of missions as usual."  
  
"You've thought about this." The pilots were startled by Heero's voice. None of them had heard him take up his place in the doorway.  
  
"We had a lot of time while we waited for you to return. We thought we should plan for the worst case scenario--just in case," Trowa explained simply.  
  
Heero nodded. "I'm returning to get Deathscythe, then I'm focusing my attention on finding Duo. I'll leave as soon as I've packed."  
  
Wufei ground his hand into a fist as Heero departed. "Unfeeling bastard! Doesn't he care--"  
  
"He cares, Wufei," Quatre said, rubbing his head again. "If anything he cares too much."  
  
Trowa put a gentle hand on Quatre's shoulders. "Are you all right?"  
  
"No," Quatre managed a wan smile. "Getting hit by that pile of crates is not helping my health any--"  
  
"You need to go to bed," Trowa told him.  
  
"Not yet. I must contact Rashid--Trowa!" Quatre protested as he was pulled out of his seat by his taller lover.  
  
"Wufei can phone Rashid," the European pilot said. "You need rest Quatre. You're bearing not just your own worry but all of ours too."  
  
"But--"  
  
Wufei nodded. "I'm capable of making a phone call Quatre."  
  
That settled it for Quatre. He let Trowa lead him to their bedroom. "It's not fair," he whispered as he climbed into bed. "We were so happy--all that seems like a dream now and it's what, only a few hours?"  
  
"Six hours," Trowa said, climbing into the bed beside him.  
  
"And everything was going so well! He liked us--I could tell he did--and even Heero was starting to relax--and now--"  
  
"We'll find him," Trowa said.  
  
"Even if we do--what if he hates us? What do we do then?"  
  
"He won't hate us," Trowa said, placing a kiss on Quatre's forehead. "We're family."  
  
--oOo--  
  
"It appears our search has come to nothing," Treize remarked as he walked across the tarmac, past rows and rows of saluting, uniformed officers to his jet.  
  
Zechs was less happy. "I'm positive the boy on that security footage from the clothing store is the same boy I faced in Antarctica. We should search the entire area for Gundams--"  
  
"That's reading an awful lot into a few minutes of tape--"  
  
"It's the best lead we've got!" Zechs responded hotly. "The base that was destroyed in Poland left no traces--"  
  
Treize waved a hand to silence Zechs as the captain approached.  
  
"Good morning, sirs. We are ready to depart in approximately ten minutes, once our final safety check is completed."  
  
"Thank-you." Treize nodded to the woman, before climbing into the elegantly furnished shuttle. "Lucrezia is already in space, you said?"  
  
"Yes, she'll be meeting us on L1," Zechs said. "Although I have to wonder why you would leave the planet when there is obviously one or more Gundam pilots on earth--"  
  
"Zechs, you forget. The Gundam pilots will come to us."  
  
Treize's second rolled his eyes. He'd heard this argument before and he was sick of it. They should be doing something now instead of letting the war roll on and on, claiming more lives in the process--  
  
"Let me go! Bastards! Ow!"  
  
Both Zechs and Treize started to their feet at the sudden yell.  
  
"Shit! He bit me!"  
  
"Grab him quick!"  
  
Drawing his gun, Zechs stepped outside, expecting to be confronted with anything--except this.  
  
He looked in disbelief from the pilots, one of them sucking a hurt finger, the other struggling to restrain … a little girl?  
  
"And what exactly is the meaning of this?" Treize asked, looking out of the door above Zech's shoulder.  
  
"Stowaway sir," one of the pilots said. "Caught her hiding in the cargo hold."  
  
"Geez!" the kid managed to pull away from the pilot restraining him. "I'm not a girl!"  
  
"Our apologies." Treize knelt down to the kid's level. "Now, what were you doing hiding in our cargo hold?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Sir, we also found his bag--it looks as though he was planning on leaving earth with us."  
  
"Dear me." Treize turned his attention back to the child. "Now why would you want to do that?"  
  
This whole situation was bugging Zechs. He felt uneasy, scanning the area for signs of a sneak attack or diversion. He would not put it past the colonies to use a child to mask a more sinister attack--after all, their defenders, the Gundam pilots, were little more than children themselves.  
  
"To go space, of course. What kind of idiot are you?"  
  
Charming, Zechs thought with a sniff. "I presume you have authorities to deal with this sort of thing--" he said, turning to the shuttle pilots.  
  
Treize put up a hand to forestall them. "Allow me a few minutes of conversation with the child. I find his … honesty … refreshing."  
  
The pilots hesitated but Treize was already escorting the child inside the shuttle. "What's your name, child?"  
  
"Duo. And I'm not a child." The brat chose Zech's seat to settle in, naturally, resting his dirty shoes against it as if he owned it.  
  
"Duo what?" Zechs asked.  
  
"That's it."  
  
"I see." Treize studied the child in front of him, looking for all the world as if he'd just discovered a new puzzle to amuse him. "An orphan then? Who looks after you?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"You must have some adult who looks after you."  
  
"Adults lie. I don't need them." The child scowled at Treize coolly.  
  
Treize took a sip of the iced water placed in the shuttle. "Running away won't solve anything, you know."  
  
"I'm not running away," the child protested. "I'm trying to go home."  
  
"And home is?"  
  
Duo wavered. "L2," he admitted, after a moment's deliberation.  
  
"Oh," Treize said. "And how were you planning on getting there? We're only going as far as L1."  
  
"Once you get into space it's easy to travel between the colonies," Duo boasted. "The kids at the orphanage said so. All ya gotta do is--"  
  
"Orphanage?" Treize said. "I knew there was someplace you should be. Which orphanage?"  
  
"Maxwell Church. It's in L2."  
  
That was just the slip up Zechs had been waiting for. "Maxwell Church was destroyed years ago," he said. "Alliance forces, no survivors."  
  
"You're lying!" The child jumped to his feet, voice shrill. "I was there not that long ago, and it was fine! And it wasn't the Alliance neither, it was the Gundams--"  
  
"The Gundams?" Treize and Zechs said in unison.  
  
"But that's impossible," Treize said.  
  
"No, its not," Duo said. "I'm not a liar. I know the Gundam pilots, I know it was them--"  
  
"You've seen the Gundam pilots? Where are they?" Zechs demanded.  
  
The kid looked at up, expression speculative. "Why'd you want to know?"  
  
"The whereabouts of the Gundam pilots are of particular interest to us," Treize said smoothly. "If you can tell us where they are--"  
  
Duo shrugged. "I don't feel like telling you. I think I'll be going now." He slipped off the seat and headed towards the door.  
  
"Wait!" Treize said. "How would you like us to take you to L2?"  
  
Duo paused. "You mean that?"  
  
Treize nodded. "Tell us anything you know about the Gundam pilots and we'll take you anywhere you want to go."  
  
The child hesitated. "No deal."  
  
"Why not?" Treize approached the child. "Don't you want to go to L2?"  
  
"They were nice to me, they were kind … even if they did--" Duo scowled suddenly and fiercely. "You can find them yourselves! I'm not helping you!"  
  
"Stop him!" Treize ordered as the child whirled for the door. Zechs made a valiant effort but he wasn't quick enough. The child managed to dodge his grab, even tripping him up in the process.  
  
"Too slow!" the child crowed triumphantly, as he ran out the door--and straight into Colonel Une.  
  
"Une, my dear," Treize said, as he helped Zechs upright. "Your timing couldn't be better."  
  
Une was staring at the child in front of her in astonishment. "Duo?" she breathed.  
  
"How the hell do you know my name?" the child demanded.  
  
"Une?" Treize enquired. "You've met him before?"  
  
"I've never seen this child before in my life," Une replied. "But he's the living image of pilot 02."  
  
"Well," Treize said. "Isn't that a coincidence." He looked at the child who was watching sullenly as Zechs locked the shuttle doors. "Don't worry, child. We'll take good care of you."  
  
tbc. 


	7. seven!

Duo sat in his seat, watching Lady Une. Treize had dragged Zechs into the apartment for a private conversation, and since then, Une's mouth had been one thin line, so straight that Duo was almost tempted to pat her on the shoulder and say 'Lighten up'.  
  
Almost.  
  
He didn't want his head taken off.  
  
He fidgeted restlessly in his chair. He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.  
  
These people were totally alien to him. Zechs hated him, he was pretty sure of that, Treize--well, Treize was nice but Duo didn't believe him. It was one thing to offer to take him back to space, it was quite another to stop him from leaving. Treize had some private agenda Duo wasn't certain how he fitted into. And Une--  
  
"Stop fidgeting," Une said crisply. "I want your hands where I can see them at all times."  
  
Duo sullenly complied. "Don't like kids, do you?"  
  
"I'm in charge of watching a high priority prisoner," Une reprimanded him, in that same icy voice. "Whether or not I like children doesn't come into it."  
  
"Yeah?" Duo asked. "Well, I don't like you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. In fact I hope . a mobile suit falls on your head. Or that your hair falls out. And that you get warts and your teeth fall out and you get blown up by a Gundam and then die of floating round in space cos there's no air in space or that you float into a star and get all burnt up--"  
  
"We're even then," Une said. "I hope you lose your voice."  
  
Duo glared at her, then slid out of the chair. "The hell with this. I want something to eat."  
  
There was a tiny refrigerator in one corner of the plane. Duo wrinkled his nose at it on the discovery that it contained mostly bottles and a few collections of nuts and other nibbly things. He was beginning to think longingly of his box of canned food.  
  
Une sniffed as Duo took what he could scavenge back to his seat. "Your table manners leave a lot to be desired."  
  
Duo ate faster, hoping that wasn't a prelude to her taking the food away from him.  
  
"When was the last time you ate?"  
  
"Last night," Duo said. "I think."  
  
It took a moment to realise that Une was staring at him.  
  
"Right," she said. "Of course." She stood suddenly. "I think I have some muesli bars in my bag."  
  
He made a good meal, all told. And Une stopped glaring at him. All went well until Treize and Zechs returned from the back room for docking.  
  
"And how is our young charge?" Treize asked, ruffling Duo's hair. Duo ducked his head, he didn't let people touch him unless he liked them--and he did not like Treize.  
  
"Actually, sir, I would like to discuss his accommodation with you. He is hardly a regular prisoner, and if I may venture some suggestions--" Une drew Treize into a corner.  
  
"That's my chair," Zechs said, glaring at Duo.  
  
"I don't see your name on it."  
  
"Move."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"Fine." Duo gripped the chair as hard as he could--he would not be budged. Before Zechs could try however, Treize intervened.  
  
"Zechs, you forget yourself. Our guest should have first pick of the chairs."  
  
Duo smirked as Zechs glared at him. "Guess it's my chair now."  
  
"Brat," Zechs muttered as he took another seat.  
  
Despite himself, Duo found himself getting excited about docking. While he'd been born in space, he'd never travelled through it--unless you could count being unconscious while Heero took him to Earth.  
  
He wasn't terribly surprised to find that Treize intended on taking him back to his base. He hadn't thought that Treize was the type to sit tamely by while he strolled off.  
  
Still, he probably could have got away if Une hadn't held him firmly by the hand as they walked. An escort of soldiers met them along the way and Duo resigned himself to having to go with them. Eventually though, they would relax and then he was so gone. In the meantime, he had to concentrate on getting his bag back.  
  
A frown crossed his forehead as he looked at the bag, carried by Une. So far they hadn't looked in, apart from a cursory inspection to make sure he wasn't carrying any bombs. He had to make sure they didn't find the photos--  
  
He'd gone back to get the photos in Maxwell's cupboard--he wanted to have something of the pilots to remember them--even if--He could still pretend-- they were a family--  
  
"General Khushrenada." A woman in uniform saluted crisply. "Let me welcome you--"  
  
"We can waive the formalities, Noin," Treize said, waving her aside. "There has been a change of plans."  
  
"Sir?" Noin asked, eyes widening as she saw Duo. "Oh, what a cute little girl! What's your name, sweetie?"  
  
Sweetie? Duo sniffed. "I don't associate with weak onnas."  
  
On reflection, that might have been a bad move.  
  
"Lieutenant Noin! Get a hold of yourself," Une snapped. Zechs was restraining her, while Duo, wide-eyed, was sheltering behind Une, one hand on his neck where Noin had tried to strangle him.  
  
"What's the matter? Noin, calm down!" Zechs begged.  
  
Noin took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just that--that is what pilot 05 said--at Victoria base--"  
  
"Interesting," Treize said. "It appears he does know the Gundam pilots."  
  
Four pairs of adult eyes were turned towards him. Duo gulped.  
  
This was not good.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Heero stared at the computer screen. Deathscythe had been retrieved and now it and Wing were stored in a barn on the outskirts of the city that Heero and Quatre had met the man with Deathscythe in. Heero was now free to devote all his time to his missing partner.  
  
The problem was, he couldn't.  
  
He'd heard Wufei's comment. The Chinese pilot thought he'd abandoned them and child Duo--  
  
He would never do that. But--  
  
He was so useless. It was his fault child-Duo had run away. He'd scared him, and then he'd left the webpage where he could find it--  
  
Heero buried his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do. He hoped that if he went that Duo would return to the others--the others loved him. They could build a family--  
  
But he could find Duo.  
  
His Duo.  
  
After running every decoding programme he knew of, and a few he'd invented just for the occasion, he'd worked out how that the information was protected by eight walls, each one that would disappear once a certain combination of keys was pressed. In addition, he'd noticed that in amongst the transmission static that accompanied the message were a few letters. When he wrote them all out he had eight short phrases. This was not a new discovery, they'd been aware of this from the start. The problem was that none of them made any sense.  
  
Heero looked at them.  
  
Heavy metal thunder. Time is fleeting. How do you solve a problem--  
  
Wait.  
  
How do you solve a problem--that seemed familiar for some reason.  
  
How do you solve a problem--how do you solve a problem--  
  
The Sound of Music. Of course--How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? Duo loved the song--Heero smiled as he remembered the child watching the video with them--  
  
But--was it possible?  
  
Holding his breath, Heero typed in 'like Maria' and hit enter.  
  
The computer hummed. Section 3 decoded, the screen reported.  
  
Heero laughed. Any one who knew him would have been surprised. Not only was the normally stoic soldier laughing, but there were tears in his eyes.  
  
He was going to find Duo.  
  
He grabbed his jacket as he left the safe house they'd taken for their last mission, the one on which they'd found Deathscythe. Duo always kept a couple of CDs in his cockpit.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Une was relieved to shut the door of her quarters behind her. It had been a long day. She sighed, happily shedding her uniform and its responsibilities. Treize had no idea what taking care of a child meant. It was all well and good to decide the kid was going to come with them, but Une was willing to bet it had never crossed her beloved leader's mind that there was more to having a child then sending it to a Swiss boarding school- -  
  
The alert bell went. Une sighed as she pulled her nightgown on. "What now?"  
  
"We are having problems with the, ah--prisoner," the strained voice of one of the young lieutenants reported over the intercom. "You'd better come."  
  
Une rolled her eyes, and throwing a wistful glance at her peaceful apartment went out into the corridor.  
  
There were several soldiers dithering around outside the child's door. Une glared at them: it was her policy to have her subordinates in terror of her. Those who lived every waking moment in the fear of you taking their heads off were less likely to question your orders.  
  
"What's the problem now?"  
  
"He wants to go to the toilet."  
  
Une stared at the officer in front of her till he visibly paled. "Surely all four of you are capable of taking a nine year old to the toilet block."  
  
"But this is the third time. In forty minutes. And he hadn't had that much to drink--"  
  
"He's up to something," another young lieutenant cut in eagerly.  
  
Une gave him a withering glare. "I might have come to that conclusion by myself. Let me in."  
  
The fourth soldier took the key from her belt and unlocked the door. The others drew back the bolts. Une tapped her feet impatiently. She had a moment's panic as the door swung open and Duo was not immediately in sight. But the lieutenant hit the light switch and Duo blinked at them bewilderedly.  
  
"What's the problem, then," Une said briskly.  
  
"He keeps on--"  
  
Une waved the lieutenant outside. "I'm dealing with this."  
  
The lieutenant flinched but filed outside. Une gave the child in front of her a steely glare.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Duo just did not meet her eyes. "I can't sleep."  
  
"Would you like a glass of warm milk?" Une blinked. Where had that come from? She sounded almost--affectionate.  
  
And Treize-sama was nowhere in the vicinity.  
  
The child nodded.  
  
"You!" Une barked at one of the young soldiers. "Fetch a glass of warm milk." As the subordinate scurried off to do her bidding, Une turned back to the child. "You'll be fine now?"  
  
The child nodded but his bottom lip trembled.  
  
Une frowned. "Or--if you like I could stay here until he gets back."  
  
Was that brief movement a smile?  
  
Une sat on the side of the child's bed, thinking hard. She was startled by a brief touch to her hand and only managed to control the urge to point a gun at the source.  
  
Instead she watched bemused as the child settled down to sleep, fingers clutching her sleeve in a gesture that was probably unconscious. Poor little thing--so alone--it was only natural that he would try to reach out to those around him. Why he'd chosen her though was a puzzle--  
  
Une remembered how she'd stopped Noin from trying to strangle the child. He probably thought of her as a protector now--  
  
Oddly, Une found that thought pleased her. She smiled, running a hand through the child's hair. He was so precious when he slept--  
  
She took her glasses off, idly playing with them.  
  
"Uh, Colonel Une? I have the milk--" The soldier was rather worried. OZ training didn't cover how to approach your superior when said superior is dressed in a frilly nightie and staring off into space with a dreamy look on her face--  
  
"What? Oh, good," Une said, putting her glasses back on. "Send it round to my quarters."  
  
"Ah--Colonel?"  
  
"The child will be spending the night with me," Une decided. "Notify security and the General of the change." She took Duo's hand with a smile. "Is that all right with you?"  
  
Duo gave her a small smile but didn't otherwise respond. It had been a long day and he was among strangers.  
  
The subordinates just gaped.  
  
Une glared at them. "Is there a problem?"  
  
This was the Colonel Une they knew and feared. "No sir!"  
  
"Good."  
  
--oOo--  
  
Quatre grabbed the phone a mere split second after it rang. "Yes?" he demanded breathlessly.  
  
"This is patrol delta-4 reporting in."  
  
Quatre sighed. "Report."  
  
He checked off the sections of the map that had already been searched. This was not looking good. A child could hide anywhere--and Duo had experience at making himself hard to find--  
  
It was a risk, but it might be the only way of finding him. Quatre had found a photo of Duo and Wufei at their studies, Duo's face glowing as Wufei praised him for a job well done. Quatre had carefully removed Wufei from the photo then increased the size of the picture--it wouldn't do for the Chinese pilot to be recognised and Duo connected with the Gundam pilots- -he hated to think what OZ would do if they got their hands on the child.  
  
Now was the hard part.  
  
Reward for information about? That was asking for trouble. It might take weeks to wade through the misinformation. Run-away? That would draw inquiries from the police and maybe an investigation into why this hadn't been reported and what he had run away from--  
  
Then there was the problem of the address. Should he put the address or just the phone number? All of his tactician's instincts told him it was a mistake to tie himself down to a specific location in an area with a large OZ presence. But what could he do?  
  
The door opened softly. Quatre smiled as Trowa stepped inside, but that smile faded as he took in Trowa's flight suit. "You're going now?"  
  
"We can't waste time. Treize has returned to space--who knows what he's planning?" Trowa kissed his forehead and then his neck. "I wish I could stay--"  
  
"I can do this, love. I will be strong--" Quatre leaned back, enjoying the warmth of Trowa's touch. His lover smiled tenderly, his eye's going from Quatre's face to the computer screen. He frowned.  
  
"What are you working on?"  
  
"A poster. I know it's risky--and I don't know what to say on it--"  
  
"It's a good idea, love. Duo might be able to elude the Manguanacs--but he can't hide from everyone." Trowa leaned over Quatre to reach the keyboard.  
  
Quatre had to hastily wipe away tears on the back of his sleeve. "Trowa--"  
  
"We'll find him, Quatre. Even if it takes the rest of our lives." Trowa hugged him then disappeared.  
  
Reassured, Quatre made a few small changes to the poster then hit the print button.  
  
"We'll be together again, Duo," he said. "I promise."  
  
"Sir?" Rashid stood at the door. "You summoned me?"  
  
"I want these posters all over this town by evening," Quatre said, very much in command again. "They are to be distributed to every street and every alleyway, starting from the area in which the Ute was abandoned and spreading out from there."  
  
"At once, sir."  
  
--oOo--  
  
Une had just time to register the blaring alarms before the door to her room was rudely thrust open.  
  
"Une!" Treize said as he entered. "There's been a security breach. The child is missing--"  
  
His voice trailed off as he found himself staring down the barrel of Une's gun.  
  
"Not a morning person, is she?" Zechs muttered from the doorway.  
  
"The child is with me," Une said. "Didn't security tell you?"  
  
"We tried to tell Security," one of the recruits from the night before said miserably. "But they wouldn't believe us when we told them that you'd taken the child into your room to see he got a decent night's sleep. They laughed us out of the bridge."  
  
Une's eyes glittered. "I see. I shall deal with that later--for now--" she flicked the safety catch off the gun. "Everyone. Out. Now!"  
  
"Une?" Treize questioned, hardly believing that she could point a gun at him.  
  
"The child needs his sleep. If any of you wake him up--" The others gulped and took a step back as Une's fingers tightened over the gun.  
  
Duo sighed in his sleep then and stirred, casting about worriedly for something--  
  
Luckily this called Une's attention back to him and Treize and Zechs were able to make their escape in safety.  
  
"Now that was something I never thought I'd see," Zechs said. He was a little unnerved by the sight of Une in a nightie. A nightie with lace--  
  
Treize appeared to be in shock. "She pulled a gun on me!"  
  
Zechs rolled his eyes. "She does that a lot."  
  
"But on me! She pulled a gun on me!"  
  
Zechs patted him on the back. "It would appear you have been displaced in her affections. Come on, we should call off the colony-wide search."  
  
Treize followed, slowly. He was not altogether pleased with the situation.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Two hours later, a colony wide search and a phone call later Noin joined the others in Treize's quarters.  
  
"I've got the search called off and a shuttle to L2 booked, sir," Noin said, saluting as she entered the wall.  
  
"Good, good," Treize didn't even look up at her as she entered. He was watching in horrified fascination as Duo ate scrambled eggs, pancakes, toast and hash browns--all at the same time.  
  
"Would you like more juice?" Zechs asked sourly. Duo was sitting in his seat again.  
  
"-es," Duo shoved his glass in the blond's direction. He didn't take a break in eating.  
  
Une patted his head fondly. "Can I get you some more eggs?"  
  
Duo shook his head, following the eggs with a mouthful of pancake.  
  
"Incredible," Treize said. "Can you actually taste that?"  
  
Zechs snorted. "I don't think he appreciates the value of a clear palate, Treize."  
  
"Don't matter what it tastes like," Duo said. "As long as there's lots of it." He gulped down his orange juice.  
  
Treize tore his attention away from the child. "When do you want to leave, Noin?"  
  
"We can go at any moment sir," Noin reported.  
  
"Lead the way my dear," Treize said as he stood. "Well, young Duo, you wanted to go to L2 I believe?"  
  
Duo used a very colourful phrase, one that would have made Quatre's ears turn pink and earned him a good fifteen lecture on filthy language from Wufei. "You're really going to take me home? I thought you were lying!"  
  
"I'm the leader of OZ. I don't lie." Treize said petulantly.  
  
"Although you did deceive the Alliance Doves," Zechs pointed out.  
  
"You ordered me to lie to the Colony delegates," Une reminded him.  
  
"What about the representatives of the different Earth governments? You weren't exactly honest with them," Noin said thoughtfully.  
  
Duo snickered as Treize scowled at his subordinates. "It's a tough job. One must sometimes stretch one's personal integrity--"  
  
"Don't gulp your food like that dear," Une interrupted, patting Duo on the head. "You'll choke yourself."  
  
"And we wouldn't want that to happen," Zechs rolled his eyes.  
  
"Shall we depart?" Treize wanted to leave before they could get back to discussing his faults.  
  
--oOo--  
  
Wufei had not been in many churches. Still he recognised the blackened remains as having once belonged to a chapel. Even when it was whole it would not have been very grand. The windows were gone, long since looted, but they would not have contained stained glass. The outer buildings would have been built from wood--or what passed for wood on this resource poor colony--and their presence was known only from blackened smudges on the dusty ground.  
  
Still, it might have been a decent place. Unlike other vacant lots, this one had no squatters--the place was left bare out of respect for the former occupants.  
  
"Ain't no-one who will live there," a shop assistant told him. Pulling on a cigarette and sighing wearily, she looked old at twenty three. "Father Maxwell was crazy--ain't no other way to explain why he'd saddle himself with fifty or hungry mouths--but he was good. You gonna buy anythin'?"  
  
No one remembered a braided child, but street urchins were so common in the L2 cluster that no-one gave them a second thought. Wufei saw several, thin to the point they appeared on the edge of starvation, but who ran away at his attempt to approach them. Life on L2 was hard, and the first lesson, apparently, was to trust nobody.  
  
From a more helpful informant, the Chinese pilot learned that Father Maxwell had no living family, and had left no children. However, it was not uncommon for his past charges to take his name.  
  
"The one's that didn't have names, at least," a former inhabitant of Maxwell's Church told Wufei. "Or those, like me, who no-one wanted."  
  
Which was Duo?  
  
Wufei thought of the bright, vibrant child he'd taught and whom had blossomed under the pilot's care--he couldn't believe that no one could fail to see the promise the child carried.  
  
But then there was Duo Maxwell.  
  
Wufei thought of his former comrade with puzzlement. It was hard to reconcile the child Duo he knew with the fearless Shinigami--Duo was so strong. But sometimes there was a bitterness in his conversation that Wufei had been unable to account for--  
  
All of a sudden he was reminded of child-Duo's fervent belief that Wufei would not come back for him at the Docks. It was becoming clearer now-- Wufei shook his head. Abandonment and then rejection--Pilot Duo had told Wufei once he had no family which meant he had never been successfully abandoned--and now what?  
  
Duo was somewhere, scared no doubt, thinking the pilots were out to get him- -Wufei could only hope that the Manguanacs would find him quickly. Quatre was the best person to take care of Duo right now--He was the first of them that Duo had trusted, and with his spaceheart, Quatre would know just how to reach him--  
  
Wandering among the ruins, Wufei paused a moment among the pillars of what had once been the inner chapel.  
  
It had been identified as harbouring rebels and attacked, destroying rebel and innocent alike. It had been a massacre. Somehow Duo had survived--  
  
There was the sound of a car stopping outside the church. Wufei ducked behind a pile of rubble. From his observations, it was unlikely anyone in this district could afford a vehicle--  
  
It wasn't a car.  
  
It was an armoured OZ convoy.  
  
Wufei said something impolite in Chinese. He only had the one gun on him, something that wasn't going to get him very far in this situation. A hasty escape was the best option--but how had they tracked him here?  
  
Wufei was further bemused as Noin and Zechs exited the vehicle followed by Treize and Une. What was this, the OZ top brass's annual picnic?  
  
They certainly weren't trying to hide their presence. Treize's voice carried to where Wufei was hiding. "Certainly not my choice of a location!"  
  
Then Wufei's heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Hey! That's my home you're talking about!"  
  
"No," Wufei thought. "It can't be--"  
  
"Let me help you with your seat belt, dear," Une said, and a moment later a very familiar child came into view.  
  
Wufei's heart constricted. "Duo--"  
  
The child looked around at the ruins with an expression of growing horror. "It can't be!" he wailed as he dashed forward towards the chapel. "It's true!" He knelt by what had once been the altar, stretching out a hand towards it, then shakily drawing it back to stem growing tears.  
  
Une knelt beside him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. "There, there," she murmured. "It'll be all right."  
  
"Curiouser and curiouser," Treize intoned. "Well, Zechs, what do you make of this? Time travel? Someone rebuilt the Orphanage and no-one told us?"  
  
"Acting lessons?" Zechs sounded more embittered than Wufei remembered him.  
  
"You still think this is a pretence?" Treize asked. "What is the point? What do the colonies gain by sending us a child who thinks he's from the Maxwell Orphanage?"  
  
"I bet pilot 05 is behind this," Noin said. "He probably sent the child here just to piss me off." She flexed her hands menacingly.  
  
Wufei made a mental note to stay away from Noin and hunched down further in his hiding place.  
  
"Are you all right, dear?" Une asked the child who had stopped crying.  
  
"I don't understand," the child said. "This is like the orphanage--but the walls are gone."  
  
"The walls?" Zechs was studying a map of the former orphanage--hoping to catch the child out.  
  
"The Federation built them. Ten feet high with glass on top. We weren't allowed out--they said we were a public menace."  
  
"There's no record of any walls on the map," Zechs said.  
  
"That building wasn't there neither--or that one--and where the Federation Post used to be is just accomodation."  
  
"What the--how did you know about the Federation building?" Zechs demanded, staring at the map.  
  
"It was there," Duo pointed. "It would be kinda hard not to notice it. That's where they used to check our tags and make announcements and that. If you climbed up from the second infirmary--that building there--you could throw stuff at the building without them seeing ya."  
  
Treize peered over the map Zechs held. "Well the infirmary is in the right place--how long has the Federation building been absent?"  
  
"After the Maxwell Church Massacre, the Federation abandoned their post in this area, due to the reprisals by several community groups in retaliation for the attack on the church."  
  
Duo took a sharp breath. "The Federation destroyed it?"  
  
"Of course," Treize answered idly, still studying the map.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"It's in their records," Zechs said impatiently. He should know, he'd spent a good part of the flight reading over them.  
  
Duo made a choking sound and sat down suddenly. "No--" he whispered, shaking his head. "I can't have--I--" he stared dazedly at the wreckage.  
  
Wufei decided to take a risk. He picked up a nearby pebble and threw it.  
  
Duo blinked as the stone landed nearby him. Puzzled he looked around to see where it came from--and nearly gasped as he spotted Wufei. Only the Chinese pilot putting a finger to his lips reminded Duo to keep quiet.  
  
Wufei made a beckoning motion with his hand. "Come," he mouthed. "I'll get you out of here." He hoped Duo would understand. He ducked behind the pile of rubble heart beating fast. He had to get them both out of there. 


	8. eight (late)!

Mission: Implausible 8.  
  
  
Heart pounding, Duo took a look round at his captors. Treize was looking with distaste at the dirt on his usually spotless white gloves. Zechs was yawning, while reading the plans to the church again. Noin was trying not to look as if she was staring at Zechs's butt. Une was looking over Zech's shoulder at the plans to what had been Maxwell Church. This might be a good chance to get out of here.  
  
  
Carefully, moving slowly enough so as not to attract undue attention, Duo sidled through the wreckage moving in the opposite direction to where he'd seen Wufei. His number one priority would be to get away from the OZ troops. Wufei should be able to find him easily after that.  
  
  
Just as Duo had reached a wall that might have provided him with enough shelter to make a decent getaway, he slipped on a pile of loose shingle.  
  
  
Une immediately hurried over to him. "Are you all right, dear?" she asked, helping him up.  
  
  
"I'm fine," Duo said. His knee stung, he'd scraped it, but he wasn't going to say so. He didn't want more fuss.  
  
  
"Let me dust you off--there, isn't that better?" Une said, patting him.  
  
  
Zechs sneered. "Baby."  
  
  
"I know you are but what am I?" challenged Duo.  
  
  
Zechs smirked. "I'm the rubber and you're the glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you, so there."  
  
  
"Zechs," Treize sighed wearily. "Could you refrain from taunting the prisoner a moment?"  
  
  
Two of the guards they'd left with the cars were approaching.  
  
  
"General Khushrenada, we don't wish to intrude but we've questioned the inhabitants. It appears we are not the only people to have inquired about the church."  
  
  
"Ah-hah!" said Zechs. "This confirms my theory. The brat was planted by the Rebels."  
  
  
Duo glared at the smug look Zechs sent him--this all fit into the blond's belief that he was faking his entire story. He wasn't lying--but he couldn't explain any of this--how come the church wasn't the same--how come the reports said it happened five years ago when he knew it was just a couple of weeks--  
  
  
"The thing is, sir," the officer said earnestly to Treize, "that all the people we asked agreed that no inquiries were made before today and the accounts of the person making the inquiries tally exactly."  
  
  
Treize read the paper handed to him. "Noin, Une? Does this ring any bells? Young male of Asian descent, shoulder length black hair in pony tail, formal manner of bearing, wearing loose fitting black trousers and a red jacket--"  
  
  
"Pilot 05," Noin growled.  
  
  
Duo could have groaned. This was so not good--  
  
  
"There's a good chance he's in the area," the soldier continued. "Shall we look for him?"  
  
  
"I think that wise," Treize nodded, blinking in surprise as Noin jumped up and down, waving her hand in the air like a schoolgirl. "Uh, Noin?"  
  
  
"Permission to join them, sir?"  
  
  
"Granted," Treize said frowning. "Just remember, he is more useful to us alive, Noin--"  
  
  
"Acknowledged." Noin saluted crisply, then skipped after the departing officer.  
  
  
"How long has it been since she had time off?" Treize wondered as she left.  
  
  
"Too long, obviously," Zechs replied.  
  
  
"We should get going," Une said taking a firm hold of Duo's hand--he'd chosen that moment to try to make a getaway again. "This is no place for a child."  
  
  
"I don't want to go," Duo sulked.  
  
  
"Tough," Zechs told him. "You're staying with us until the General says you can go."  
  
  
"Why do you call him General anyway?" Duo muttered sullenly as they left. "He's not the real General."  
  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
  
"Geez, you stupid or what?" Duo asked Zechs scornfully. "Everyone knows the real General Khushrenada got excavated years ago."  
  
  
He bumped into Zechs and blinked. They'd all stopped walking and were staring at him.  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
"Excavated?" Zechs questioned.  
  
  
"You know." Duo made a shooting motion with his hand. "One of his closest colleagues shot him in the back. Bam!"  
  
  
"Assassinated?" Treize suggested weakly.  
  
  
"That's the word!" Duo nodded eagerly. "It was really cool! There were parades and parties and we got the day off classes!"  
  
  
"What are you talking about?" Zechs snapped, slapping Treize on the back. "General Khushrenada is right here and very much alive!"  
  
  
Treize winced. "What was the exact name of this General? I am sure there are a lot of Khushrenadas out there--"  
  
  
"Geez, you really are stupid, aren't you? Treize was the one that got assassinated first--and then there was this old goon who tried to use his daughter to get power--they all got blown up--boom!"  
  
  
"No need to sound so cheerful about it," Une reprimanded the child, dusting him off by way of reproof. "Those are other people you're talking about--"  
  
  
"But no one liked Treize--he was a detonator--you know, someone who likes to boss everyone around?" Duo continued happily. "Everyone was really happy when he died 'cause we thought we would be free again. But we weren't. The other OZ people took over. General Chewberock is in charge now."  
  
  
"Tsuberov?" Zechs snorted. "As if."  
  
  
"Now, now." Treize waved Zechs aside. "Let the child speak. This may be important." He was paler than usual. "I trust," he said, attempting to keep his voice calm, "that the people responsible for the death of this noble General were properly reprimanded?"  
  
  
"You kidding? They were given medals--services to the universe. All the General did was get people killed--we were happy when he died. Sister Helen said that even old Chewberock and his taxations are better than the General 'cause Chewberock never tried to make people think they were fighting for a noble cause."  
  
  
"Taxations?" Une asked, hoping to divert conversation onto a path less distressing for Treize-sama.  
  
  
"You know, the taxes--meat, bread, vegetables, dairy-products, water, air, light, life, living in outer space," Duo rattled the list off quickly. "I need to go to the toilet."  
  
  
"You can go when we get back to the base," Treize said, concentrating on the information he'd just been given.  
  
  
"That's too long. I need to go now."  
  
  
"I don't think this neighbourhood would have the necessary facilities--" Treize looked around at the untidy slum.  
  
  
Duo rolled his eyes again. "What are you talking about? I can just go over there."  
  
  
"But--that's unsanitary--"  
  
  
Zechs patted Treize on the back. "Look at this neighbourhood. You think the people here care?"  
  
  
"Someone should go with him," Une said. "To check he's all right." She looked meaningfully at Zechs. There was no question about Treize going--he looked faint enough already.  
  
  
"Fine." Zechs sighed.  
  
  
Duo had other ideas. "I'm not going if he's going."  
  
  
"But, you should have someone with you. In case something happens," Une soothed.  
  
  
"I don't like him," Duo pouted. "And anyway I can't go if there's someone watching--"  
  
  
"Just be careful then." Une patted him anxiously.  
  
  
Rolling his eyes again, Duo set off over the rubble.  
  
  
"On the streets--" Treize repeated faintly. "People live like that?"  
  
  
"It's called poverty," Zechs said shortly. This entire day was grating on his nerves. "Not everyone was born into a family manor with crystal chandeliers and servants, you know."  
  
  
"Duo, you'll call if you need us?" Une called.  
  
  
There was no response.  
  
  
"Duo?"  
  
  
Zechs and Une eyed each other and drew their weapons.  
  
  
"Treize-sama, it might be best if you return to the car," Une said, as she and Zechs scanned the surrounding area.  
  
  
Unfortunately Treize was not in the mood for taking advice. "Need I remind you," he began, nettled, "that not only am I your superior, I have been in as many battles as you--"  
  
  
Gun fire ran out, suddenly, nearby.  
  
  
"Block him! Don't let him get away!" Noin screamed.  
  
  
"Damn onna!"  
  
  
Zechs looked back sharply to Une and Treize. "Heads up--they're coming this way--"  
  
  
Just as he said that Wufei and Duo rounded the corner, skidding on the loose gravel. Wufei had Duo on his back, piggyback style. The child's weight was not much to him, but it did slow him down--enough so that although he scrambled to a halt the moment he saw the three OZ officials in front of him, and though he made a dash in the direction of the road, Noin and the search party had him surrounded.  
  
  
Panting, Wufei looked round desperately for an opening--there was none. Captured--  
  
  
He slid Duo off his back. "Get ready to run," he said softly, sizing up the Oz officers surrounding him. "I'll create a diversion--you get out of here--"  
  
  
"No!" Duo grabbed his hand. "I'm not leaving you!"  
  
  
"It's not safe," Wufei protested. "Go."  
  
  
"The hell I will," Duo said.  
  
  
Wufei was distracted then by Treize speaking.  
  
  
"Pilot 05--what an unexpected pleasure it is to see you today--"  
  
  
Much as Wufei would have liked to snap something rude at Treize, there was a child present and he restrained himself. However he couldn't help responding, "I'm sorry, I should have phoned first?"  
  
  
Zechs snorted as he stepped towards the Gundam pilot with a pair of cuffs. "Drop your weapon and put out your hands, Pilot 05. You co-operate and no-one will get hurt."  
  
  
This was just possibly the worst situation he could be in, Wufei thought grimly as he held out his hands. Oz could use Duo against him very easily--and he couldn't let the child be hurt--  
  
  
"No!" Duo screeched swatting Zechs hands away. "You can't hurt Wufei! Leave him alone!"  
  
  
"Out of the way, brat," Zechs pushed Duo aside. A minute later, he yelped, dropping the cuffs. "He bit me!"  
  
  
Wufei had a hard time keeping his face impassive. He took advantage of the momentary distraction of those arresting him to kneel down to talk to Duo. "Listen to me, Duo. Don't antagonise them--we're prisoners, our lives depend on how pleasant they're feeling--"  
  
  
Duo's eyes widened as the full implications of their situation caught up with him. He scrubbed furiously at his eyes. "I won't do anything to get you in trouble, Wufei. I'm sorry--"  
  
  
"It's not your fault," Wufei told him, holding out his hands for Noin to cuff him (which she did with great delight).  
  
  
"Come away, dear." Une took Duo by the hand.  
  
  
Duo obeyed reluctantly. "What's going to happen to Wufei?"  
  
  
"Let the child go," Wufei said. "Now you have me, you don't need him."  
  
  
"It's true," Une said. "A military base is no place to raise a child, and we don't need him to help us locate the Gundam pilots now that we have one. I'll look into trustworthy foster parents--"  
  
  
"No need, Une. The child will remain with us," Treize said in a tone that settled everything. "I have a feeling that his presence will ensure that our captive Gundam pilot is co-operative."  
  
  
Wufei was grim. His worst fear had been realised. Noin blinked, a little of her triumph fading away. Zechs looked concerned. Une looked downright murderous. Surely Treize wouldn't use the child against the Gundam pilot? That was just . . . inelegant.  
  
  
Oddly enough, the only one happy with Treize's announcement was Duo who was glad he wasn't being taken away from Wufei.  
  
  
--oOo--  
  
  
It got worse.  
  
  
When they returned to the OZ base, an officer who had obviously been awaiting Treize's return approached them, bowed, and said "General Khushrenada, the information you were looking for has arrived."  
  
  
"Ah, good," Treize said. "Send it to my study, I shall read it over in private."  
  
  
He waved the others on without him. "See the Gundam pilot is given suitable accommodation, will you Zechs, Noin? And Lady Une, I leave the care of our younger guest to you."  
  
  
Une's mouth was thin as she and Duo went to the dining hall. Treize hadn't said anything to her about this--what was more surprising was that he hadn't said anything to Zechs either--at least that's what she surmised from the blond's disgruntled expression.  
  
  
Duo had demanded attention then. "Where are they taking him?" he asked, watching as Noin and the soldiers with her led Wufei down a different passage to the one they were taking.  
  
  
"Come along," Une said firmly. "We need to get you fed."  
  
  
"But--" Duo cast a look back at Wufei, and passed some inner resolve. He went with Une obediently.  
  
  
He was far from happy, Une realised. That was understandable--commendable even. Her expression softened.  
  
  
"We'll visit him later. I promise."  
  
  
Duo blinked up at her, startled.  
  
  
They'd reached the dining hall. It was full of soldiers on leave--who stood and saluted instantly, straightening uniforms surreptitiously at the sight of OZ's most feared leader--then staring at mute shock at the diminutive figure beside her.  
  
  
Une acknowledged the soldiers with a curt nod, and sat down at the Officers' table, drawing up a seat for Duo. She hailed a passing soldier and ordered them to let her know when Treize went to dinner and then ordered meals for herself and Duo.  
  
  
Despite her own worrying thoughts, Une was not too distracted to notice that the child ate less than usual, and that he seemed distracted too. Une thought it best to leave him be--her recruits would attest that she was not good at gentle kindness such as the situation required--until she caught him hiding half his hamburger in his shirt.  
  
  
"We're not starving him, you know," Une said. "He'll be fed adequately."  
  
  
"But--the way Noin looked at him--" Duo said, caught unawares. "You hate him!"  
  
  
"Be that as it may, we are not entirely without honour, or compassion." Une glared at a nearby recruit who happened to snort suspiciously at that statement. "We will not mistreat a prisoner."  
  
  
"This is my fault," Duo whispered, a tear running down my cheek. "If I hadn't run away--"  
  
  
Une wiped that tear with her napkin. "Hush. It's not your fault, Duo."  
  
  
There didn't seem to be more she could say than that. She couldn't promise it would be all right--she couldn't guarantee the pilot's safety--or even the child's.  
  
  
It had never before struck her just how much war impacted on the innocent--this child, so much like pilot 02, might never be free of it--  
  
  
"Colonel Une, sir? The General has ordered dinner in his private suite."  
  
  
At last, Treize was out of his study. She could only hope that whatever information he'd received was still there. She stood.  
  
  
"Escort Duo back to my rooms and see that he has a guard. I have business to attend to, Duo, I'll see you later," she told the child.  
  
  
Treize had given Une and Zechs free run of his office, and Une was easily able to gain access to the General's study. She ransacked the drawers efficiently and quickly, easily ascertaining that whatever he's received, it was not immediately accessible--unless it lay in the one locked drawer. She cast about for a key, but found none.  
  
  
Abandoning the search, she instead drew up the computer records to check the history.  
  
  
She was in the middle of doing this when the door opened. Une froze--caught in the act--there was no way to explain this.  
  
  
But instead of an angry Treize-sama or a smug Zechs she found herself facing a very startled looking--  
  
  
"Duo?"  
  
  
The child looked as though about to bolt. Une scooted forward and shut the door, blocking his exit.  
  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
  
"I wondered--I think what Treize got in here was something to do with me--and I want to find it. I don't want the guys to have any more trouble because of me," Duo blurted defiantly. "So what are you going to do now, lock me up too?"  
  
  
"No," Une said. "I'm going to ask for your help." She resumed her seat at the computer. "Whatever Treize got it isn't obvious--I've checked the drawers of his desk--all except the locked one."  
  
  
"Locked?" the child questioned. "You don't happen to have a piece of wire handy do you?"  
  
  
Une sacrificed one of her hairpins. Using it Duo managed to get the lock undone, while she stood at the doorway and watched for disturbances.  
  
  
"Anything in there?" she asked.  
  
  
"There's a disk on top of some papers--and a photo of a really ugly baby--"  
  
  
"Give me the disk," Une said. "You keep a lookout." She ruffled Duo's hair as they switched positions. "If we're both alive when this war is over, I'll find a family for you," she told him, impulsively.  
  
  
"I've already got a family," Duo replied. "At least, I hope I do." His face was troubled.  
  
  
Une inserted the disk.  
  
  
She was quiet such a long time that Duo had to ask, "Is something wrong?"  
  
  
"You could say that." Une forgot for a moment that she was talking to a child and not a colleague. "What does Treize want, staking out a small Russian village?"  
  
  
"A small Russian village?" Duo questioned sounding stricken.  
  
  
Of course--that was where he'd been found.  
  
  
Une frowned, skimming through the battle plans and opening another file. It was a scan of a poster that had been found in this same Russian town--she paused. It was Duo--  
  
  
And--  
  
  
It was one of those rare moments when Une smiled.  
  
  
"Duo," she said. "Come and look at this."  
  
  
The child crept over to her on silent feet. "What?" he said. "Oh--WOW--"  
  
  
It was a simple poster, much like any other missing person poster, the picture of Duo taking up most of the space. What was so special about it was the message below. Written in English and Russian, it stated simply 'His family miss him'.  
  
  
Duo's face was glowing. "Wow" he repeated, stretching out a hand as if to touch the computer screen. "Wow--"  
  
  
It was the most precious thing she'd ever seen. Une felt rather warm inside herself. She made a promise to herself then. Duo would get back to his family. She would see to it.  
  
  
--oOo--  
  
  
Quatre stared at the phone. Ring, dammit, he thought. Someone in this stupid city has to know where he is--  
  
  
In the opposite corner of the room, a cluster of Manguanacs watched their leader apprehensively. Quatre was brave, courageous, compassionate and wonderful, but at the moment--  
  
  
He was downright scary.  
  
  
The phone rang for perhaps one thirteenth of a second before Quatre grabbed it. "Hello?" he said breathlessly.  
  
  
"Does the phrase, 'Do you expect me to talk?' mean anything to you?"  
  
  
Quatre blinked. "Heero?"  
  
  
"It doesn't fit any of the songs of the CDS--I've done an internet search and turned up nothing-"  
  
  
"Uh--Heero--what are you talking about?"  
  
  
"Duo's code. I think I've broken it. There's just three things I haven't been able to crack. That one, 'Time is fleeting' and 'It wasn't a rock'."  
  
  
"Was any of that supposed to make sense?"  
  
  
"Please, Quatre, you have to think--do any of those sound familiar to you?"  
  
  
"Uh--what was the last one?"  
  
  
There was a pause as Heero consulted his notes. "It wasn't a rock."  
  
  
"It wasn't a rock," Quatre repeated. "It wasn't a rock--" He laughed. "You know, that reminds me of the time me and Duo had a mission that took us by some beach somewhere. He insisted the B-52s were the only band you could play at a beach--that and the Beach Boys--did you know Duo owns several Hawaiian shirts? And they're not black either--honestly you'd think he worked in a funeral home sometimes--"  
  
  
"B-52's?" Heero asked, drawing Quatre's attention back to his query.  
  
  
"An old--and I mean really old band--pre-colony even. But then, Duo has that thing for vintage rock. What were their most famous songs? Love shack, Rock lobster--Rock Lobster--that's it!"  
  
  
"It is?" Heero sounded completely confused.  
  
  
"It wasn't a rock--" Quatre declared to the bemusement of the watching Manguanacs. "It was a rock lobster!"  
  
  
He blinked as the line suddenly went dead. "Heero?"  
  
  
Honestly, Pilot 01 had no manners. Quatre replaced the receiver wondering if he would ever find out what that had been about.  
  
  
He had barely time to begin pondering whether the accumulated stress had proven too much for J's prodigy or if he really had managed to crack Duo's code before the phone rang again.  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
The Manguanacs saw Quatre's hand tighten around the cell phone. "They do? Do you have proof?"  
  
  
There was a pause and then Quatre paled. "Duo--it's really . . . ? How are they treating you? Are you all right? They have Wufei as well? No, Duo, it's not your fault. Don't worry--we'll get you and Wufei out of this. I promise--Duo?"  
  
  
From the grim expression that had settled over Quatre's face, the Manguanacs gathered that Duo no longer had the phone. "So you say. How can we trust you? Who are you, anyway? We don't have many friends amongst OZ--"  
  
  
Pause.  
  
  
"I see. Well I thank you for your information. However, if I find out you have harmed him in any way--Good day."  
  
  
He hung up.  
  
  
"Master Quatre?" Rashid inquired hesitantly.  
  
  
"Recall the search parties," Quatre ordered briskly. "Start packing. I want a total evacuation in under an hour."  
  
  
"But sir--"  
  
  
"OZ knows where we are. We must go into space immediately," Quatre said. "I'm going to try and contact Trowa and Heero--well don't just stand there! The situation is critical!"  
  
  
The Manguanacs obeyed.  
  
  
--oOo--  
  
  
Wufei was outwardly the picture of serenity. Sitting in a meditative position, he was the embodiment of calm under pressure. Inwardly it was another story.  
  
  
Focus, Wufei reprimanded himself. You can't help Duo or yourself if you cannot concentrate on the situation at hand.  
  
  
He tried not to think about the fact that the situation at hand was quite possibly without remedy. He was OZ's prisoner without any way of escaping, not to mention OZ had Duo as a weapon against him if he tried. He hadn't told any of the other pilots where he was going, so there was no hope of rescue.  
  
  
The only thing he could do now was steel himself for the ordeal that would surely come. OZ was ruthless--Wufei was sure they would not waver from using every tool at their disposal on him.  
  
  
Even a child.  
  
  
Footsteps roused him from his meditative state. Someone was approaching.  
  
  
"Sir!"  
  
  
"At ease, soldier."  
  
  
Wufei could have groaned. Out of all of OZ, Lady Une was the worst. He kept his face carefully impassive as she approached.  
  
  
"Leave us with the prisoner."  
  
  
"But--Lady Une--"  
  
  
"That was an order, Lieutenant."  
  
  
This did not bode well. Lady Une had no qualms about torturing prisoners--hell, that was probably why she was sending the guards away. Well, she would find that he would not be so easily intimidated--  
  
  
Wufei blinked as he found himself facing not the hostile face of an OZ soldier, but worried violet eyes--  
  
  
"Duo--"  
  
  
"Wufei! You're okay!" Duo sounded relieved. "He's really okay!" he reported eagerly to someone just out of Wufei's seeing range.  
  
  
"I told you we weren't entirely without honour, didn't I?" replied . . . Lady Une?  
  
  
It couldn't be Lady Une. The uber-bitch who had threatened to blow up several colonies could never sound so gently amused, so affectionate, so ... frilly?  
  
  
Wufei decided he must be hallucinating. Lady Une . . . in a pink nightgown?  
  
  
With lace?  
  
  
"Now Duo, remember what I told you. It will be at least three hours before they can arrive. Until then, if anyone tries to make you leave, tell them you are here under the approval of Colonel Une and they can discuss any problems with me."  
  
  
Duo nodded.  
  
  
Wufei managed to tear his mind away from Lady's Une's ruffles. "Three hours until who arrives?"  
  
  
"All going to plan, Pilot 04 and a sizeable amount of backup," Une said. "Duo, here's your blanket. Are you comfortable?"  
  
  
Duo was settling in on Wufei's bed. "I'm fine," he said.  
  
  
"The others will never fall for your nefarious scheme," Wufei told Une stoutly. "Do you think so obvious a trap will work?"  
  
  
"You'd better hope it does," Une told him. "I see no other way of getting the two of you out of here."  
  
  
Wufei snorted. "And why should you care about us?"  
  
  
"I'm a weak onna, do I even need a reason?" Une replied tartly. "Take care Duo. Try and get some sleep, okay?"  
  
  
Duo sighed. "Okay," he said, sounding as though she'd asked him to swear off chocolate for the rest of his life.  
  
  
"Goodnight," Une said, lingering a moment. Then she turned and left with precise military decorum.  
  
  
Wufei stared after her with considerable inner tumult.  
  
  
Something had just happened. He wasn't sure what.  
  
  
"You going to read to me?" Duo asked quietly.  
  
  
He'd got the blanket out and was sitting wrapped up in it on the end of Wufei's bed.  
  
  
Wufei opened his mouth for a lecture on there being an appropriate time and place for everything, and sitting in an OZ cell waiting for the friends and the colonies best chance for survival walked in to Colonel Une's fiendish clutches was not an appropriate setting for a bedtime story when he stopped.  
  
  
"The tale of two cities?" he read. "Is that--my book?"  
  
  
"Don't be mad," Duo said. "I kept your place and everything."  
  
  
"I'm not mad," Wufei said. "Although if you would like to borrow one of my books, I would appreciate it if you asked. I spent ages looking for this."  
  
  
"I didn't think you'd let me have it if I did ask," Duo explained. "Quatre said it was--inappropriate."  
  
  
Wufei was immediately outraged. "The Tale of Two Cities is a classic! Everyone should read it! Inappropriate--hah!" He took the book. "Where are you up to?"  
  
  
"I'm almost at your place." Duo pointed. "There."  
  
  
--oOo--  
  
  
Trowa led the way down the station corridor, a squad of Manguanacs dressed in OZ uniforms at his heels. Their pace was brisk, not designed to attract attention in the busy base--not that anyone would have noticed them anyway. Most people were paying more attention to the two Gundams and the small army currently attacking the base anyway.  
  
  
"According to our anonymous informant, we need to go to detention block 34c," Trowa said, scanning the hallways. "Which would be this way."  
  
  
There were a couple of guards standing at the entrance but they looked nervous.  
  
  
"I'm here to retrieve the Gundam pilot," Trowa said.  
  
  
"Sir! Is everything all right, out there?"  
  
  
Yes, they were nervous. Probably never been in a full out battle.  
  
  
"Nothing serious," Trowa said. "These are important prisoners and as there is a chance the attack is aimed at freeing or eliminating them, we're going to take them to a different location."  
  
  
"Oh, that's a relief."  
  
  
"Yes, this will all be over soon," Trowa told them, giving the Manguanacs the signal to render the guards unconscious.  
  
  
While they took care of hiding the guards out of sight, Trowa set off down the corridor to the cells.  
  
  
Now they would find out the truth of that anonymous phone call.  
  
  
True, no-one had been able to contact Wufei, but there were countless explanations for that. For all they knew, their informant didn't even have Duo--  
  
  
Trowa paused as he heard voices ahead of him. He paused listening hard.  
  
  
". . . So the street outside Newgate had not obtained one infamous notoriety that has since attached to it. But, the gaol was a vile place, in which most kinds of debauchery and villainy--"  
  
  
"What's debauchery?"  
  
  
"It's another word for doing something bad with connotations of involving the body."  
  
  
"You mean like hitting someone else?"  
  
  
"No, like drinking to excess, or eating more sweets than are good for you . . . may I continue? Ahem, in which most kinds of debauchery and villainy were practiced--"  
  
  
Trowa smiled. Definitely Wufei and Duo--and they sounded as though they were alright too. He rounded the corner to see them both, wrapped in a colourful blanket sitting on the cell's only bunk, Duo leaning against Wufei's side as the Chinese pilot read to him.  
  
  
"I hate to interrupt what looks to be a fascinating story," Trowa said mildly. "But I am on a schedule."  
  
  
"Trowa!" Duo jumped up immediately, scattering blanket and book in his wake as he did so. "You're here, you're all right!"  
  
  
"So are you," the European pilot answered, unlocking the door.  
  
  
Wufei snorted as he picked up Duo's backpack. "Duo, you're going to have to be quiet. We don't want to attract more attention than we have too."  
  
  
Duo ignored the reproof, locking himself around Trowa's legs.  
  
  
Somewhat bemused by this demonstration of affection, Trowa looked up to see Wufei hiding a smile.  
  
  
"Apparently he missed us a lot."  
  
  
"That's only fair. We missed him," Pilot 03 replied, patting Duo on the head. "We're going to move fast, Duo--I'm afraid you'll have to hurry to keep up."  
  
  
Duo nodded face determined. Trowa passed Wufei a weapon, and with the Manguanacs they set off. The corridors were much less populated this time round and they made better time.  
  
  
They would have made even better time if the Manguanacs hadn't kept stopping to steal glances at Duo as they went along.  
  
  
Wufei smiled wryly as he drew closer to Trowa as they turned down a side passage. "I see Quatre didn't explain?"  
  
  
"He was somewhat distracted by trying to decide what was the best way to attack the base," Trowa answered.  
  
  
The next second there was the sound of a massive explosion, and the floors shook, tumbling all of them to the ground.  
  
  
"I think he found it," Wufei said, as he helped Duo up.  
  
  
"We have to get out of here fast," one of the Manguanacs--one of these days he would learn their names--said urgently.  
  
  
Trowa nodded. "We need to get to flight bay level 7."  
  
  
"This way."  
  
  
They hurried towards the shuttle bay. So close and yet, anything could go wrong. They could be seen, Quatre's army might launch an attack in the wrong place, OZ might decide to simply jettison the base . . .  
  
  
Wufei couldn't help an exclamation of relief as they reached Bay 7.  
  
  
"We made it!"  
  
  
"Made what?"  
  
  
They dived for cover, but it was too late. Zechs had recognised them.  
  
  
tbc. 


End file.
